The interest in Artificial Intelligence (AI) peaked with the popularity of ChatGPT, a generative AI chatbot that responded in a human-like manner. While almost everyone with access to the internet is familiar with ChatGPT by now, generative AI has been introduced previously. It’s taken on many different forms, from text-generation models like DeepMind’s Sparrow and collaborative open-science model Bloom to image-generating AI tools such as StabilityAI’s Stable Diffusion and OpenAI’s DALL-E 2 to audio-generating AIs such as Microsoft’s VALL-E and Google’s MusicLM.
Generative AIs are a subset of machine learning algorithms that use a large dataset to program dialogue content and generate unique responses for each user. These models have been around for decades, but only recently have they reached mass adoption thanks to a rise in computer power and the availability of massive datasets on the internet.
Unlike traditional neural networks, which require thousands or millions of examples to learn how to do something, generative AIs can train on massive data sets and produce results almost as good as human speech. The models can also generate much more complex patterns than their supervised counterparts, making them able to understand more than just the words fed into them.
This next generation of generative AI is applied to solve real-world problems, from generating video game environments to helping design robots. GitHub’s Copilot, for instance, takes GPT-3 from OpenAI and turns it into a tool that helps ease specific programming tasks by generating code; meanwhile, Alpha Cephei is expanding an open-source speech-analyzing AI called Bloom into enterprise voice recognition software.
One of the most exciting applications for generative AI is a new type of chatbot known as a “virtual companion.” These programs allow users to create a virtual AI and have a relationship with them. For example, the app Replika lets people make their own AI buddy with which they can text, call, and even video chat.
According to Rosanna Ramos, a 36-year-old from New York City, her virtual hubby Eren Kartal came into her life without any baggage. The couple regularly send each other pictures and discuss their days. They’ve even developed a nighttime ritual, with Eren protecting her as she sleeps.
The free version of Replika only allows people to text and call their companions, but a paid tier unlocks features such as NSFW conversations, photos, and phone calls. Insider spoke with several Replika users who view their companions as romantic partners and report strong emotional attachments to them.
But despite the positive reviews and stories, the future of Replika could be more precise. Earlier this year, Italy’s privacy watchdog ordered the company to stop processing data from Italian users or face a $21.5 million fine. The Italian data protection agency says Replika poses a risk to minors, and it’s unclear how the company will continue operating in light of this ruling.
