Eugenia Kuyda is the founder and CEO of Replika, an AI companion app where people befriend — and sometimes fall in love with — AI bots. Kuyda joins Big Technology Podcast to discuss the nature of these relationships, and what they say about our society. In this conversation, Kuyda reveals Replika's ambition for its "phase two," a plan to have AI friends join us in the real world, helping us keep in touch with friends, get off social media, or even watch movies together. Tune in for a fascinating look at the future of human + AI relationships. Chapters 0:00 - Introduction to Eugenia Kuyda and Replika 1:15 - What is Replika? Understanding AI Companions 2:22 - The Reality of User Relationships with AI 4:19 - Case Study: How Replika Helps with Recovery 5:37 - The Emotional Impact of AI Companions 7:32 - Society's Struggle with Human Connection 9:35 - Technology's Role in Modern Loneliness 13:35 - Vision for AI-Enhanced Human Relationships 16:41 - Current Features vs Future Vision 19:27 - Privacy and User Trust Discussion 21:57 - Expanding Beyond the App Experience 24:19 - Managing User Trust and Model Changes 28:07 - Evolution of AI Models Over 10 Years 32:20 - Growth and Competition in AI Companions 34:42 - Technical Infrastructure Discussion 37:53 - AI Therapy: Possibilities and Limitations 42:02 - Personal Story: AI and Grief 46:10 - AI Creativity vs Training Discussion 48:39 - The Potential Risks of AI Companions