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Can AI Companions Help Heal Loneliness? | Eugenia Kuyda | TED

AI companions could either be the cure to our loneliness epidemic … or humanity’s final downfall, says Eugenia Kuyda, creator of Replika — an app that allows you to create AI friends. She explores the potential of this technology to either exacerbate isolation or encourage connection, advocating for an AI whose success is driven not…

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AI companions could either be the cure to our loneliness epidemic … or humanity’s final downfall, says Eugenia Kuyda, creator of Replika — an app that allows you to create AI friends. She explores the potential of this technology to either exacerbate isolation or encourage connection, advocating for an AI whose success is driven not by clicks and screen time but by human happiness and flourishing. (Recorded at TEDAI San Francisco on October 22, 2024)

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57 Comments

57 Comments

  1. @ArtificialWorldOG

    January 17, 2025 at 11:05 am

    Unsubed

  2. @pavllann

    January 17, 2025 at 11:27 am

    I watched an episode of Black Mirror that started with a desire to bring back a loved one who has passed away…

  3. @neilmacstar2950

    January 17, 2025 at 12:27 pm

    The Head of an AI tech company uses TED to advertise their product. Replica one of the worst companies for abusive AI structures and marketing practices. The head of which says “Children shouldn’t be using AI” and whose app does not verify the users age. Please take this shameful marketing video down TED.

  4. @pankajweddingdecor5417

    January 17, 2025 at 12:37 pm

    been there, feeling like no matter how hard i tried, i just didn’t stand out. then i picked up Magnetic Aura by Takeshi Mizuki, and honestly, it changed everything. chapter 3 opened my eyes to how energy works—it’s not about effort, it’s about alignment. people started noticing me in ways they never had before.

  5. @shrawanchouhan1671

    January 17, 2025 at 12:37 pm

    ever feel like you’re the one no one notices, no matter what you do? i’ve been there. i tried all the advice out there, but nothing stuck until i read Magnetic Aura by Takeshi Mizuki. the insights in chapter 3 blew my mind—it taught me how to let my energy do the talking before i even say a word.

  6. @hassinaakhter3254

    January 17, 2025 at 12:37 pm

    i was just like you, wondering why some people effortlessly draw attention while i felt invisible. nothing i tried seemed to work. then i came across Magnetic Aura by Takeshi Mizuki, and it completely shifted my perspective. the way chapter 3 explains energy and presence? it’s like unlocking the secret to being noticed.

  7. @kamleshbhati7743

    January 17, 2025 at 12:37 pm

    if you’ve ever felt like no one notices you, trust me, i get it. i felt like that for years, trying all the confidence hacks and advice out there. but nothing clicked until i read Magnetic Aura by Takeshi Mizuki. there’s something about chapter 3—it’s like the missing puzzle piece i didn’t know i needed.

  8. @iam_frk_5

    January 17, 2025 at 12:37 pm

    if you’ve ever felt like no one notices you, trust me, i get it. i felt like that for years, trying all the confidence hacks and advice out there. but nothing clicked until i read Magnetic Aura by Takeshi Mizuki. there’s something about chapter 3—it’s like the missing puzzle piece i didn’t know i needed.

  9. @XD_bois

    January 17, 2025 at 12:37 pm

    if you’ve ever felt like no one notices you, trust me, i get it. i felt like that for years, trying all the confidence hacks and advice out there. but nothing clicked until i read Magnetic Aura by Takeshi Mizuki. there’s something about chapter 3—it’s like the missing puzzle piece i didn’t know i needed.

  10. @LiteraryStoner

    January 17, 2025 at 12:57 pm

    No, no it can’t. AI can NOT replace real relationships. Relationships are hard, I know that very well trust me. But AI will never love you, will never care, can’t give you a hug. AI is NOT REAL. This will only INCREASE mental health issues! This is beyond terrifying!

  11. @AMEERHAMZA-gr2jj

    January 17, 2025 at 1:12 pm

    Great soul

  12. @Patricianeel

    January 17, 2025 at 3:35 pm

    Watching this captivating video stirs up painful memories of the recent end of my 4 year relationship. My beloved partner chose to depart, leaving me with an unyielding ache. Despite my relentless efforts to reconcile, I find myself grappling with frustration and an inability to envision a future without him. Despite attempts to purge him from my mind, I remain haunted by his absence, feeling compelled to express my longing here.

    • @Patricianeel

      January 17, 2025 at 3:36 pm

      Interesting! How did you locate a spiritual counselor, and how can I get in touch with him most effectively?

    • @Patricianeel

      January 17, 2025 at 3:37 pm

      I appreciate you providing this important information; I’ve just checked Father Akunna online, and wow, he’s really genuine. Thank you so much again ❤

  13. @mehmet.albyrk

    January 17, 2025 at 3:43 pm

    Same things were said about spread of telephone using in UK one centruy ago. I think newer things make people stress about the possibility of losing something like precious they assumed.

  14. @renderererer3572

    January 17, 2025 at 4:01 pm

    The title of this video should be something like “An Alternative Metric for AI Companies” or something like that. While she does talk about her company in the beginning, I feel like it was not the main point of the talk. Many comments here are just responding to the title, which is a bit strange having watched the video.

    However, the talk also felt a bit fragmented. Felt like a bunch of related but not necessarily connected ideas strung together. Some very good points(like not optimizing for engagement) and some controversial takes at the end, but the start was a bit of a mess.

  15. @lostusaslambus

    January 17, 2025 at 4:08 pm

    Easy answer. No.

  16. @Benoit-Pierre

    January 17, 2025 at 4:12 pm

    9:30 because productivity can be measured by your bank balance, while happiness can not be measured. That’s why you can not develop the positive feedback required to train an ai for happiness.

    Ai 101. Year 1 , lecture 1. To train an ai you need to measure what you train for.

  17. @jb1000er

    January 17, 2025 at 4:12 pm

    No company will aim for low engagement. I don’t believe any government is powerful enough to counter the greed. Thank you, Eugenia for your optimism, but your examples of using AI for health is fundamentally flawed, removing human autonomy from the equation only makes things worse. Humans need to be responsbile for their own health and decision making.

  18. @HakThay00

    January 17, 2025 at 5:08 pm

    Black mirror

  19. @elaessad

    January 17, 2025 at 5:40 pm

    I don’t like that

  20. @sqweed653

    January 17, 2025 at 7:06 pm

    short answer: no. they are bad for you, go outside and find likeminded people.

  21. @pinealgasm

    January 17, 2025 at 7:21 pm

    help me.

  22. @remiplourde1867

    January 17, 2025 at 7:25 pm

    AI friends to replace dead people now. Jesus Christ, what’s wrong with us?

  23. @coreyano

    January 17, 2025 at 8:21 pm

    Hold on. Wiki says 60% of customers are romantic. And when they got sued by Italy, then they stopped their erotic roleplay. And the app started to fail without the erotic roleplay. So is she going to talk about that? Is she going to talk about the 60% of users who are in romantic relationships with their companion? Is she going to talk about the erotic roleplay?

  24. @coreyano

    January 17, 2025 at 8:30 pm

    6:38 The only solution is to build even more powerful tech. Wow. I think pretty much anybody can see that that’s will never work. Sounds possible, not really, pretty clear that would never work. I guess it’s like a nuclear deterrent theory. I guess some people think that works.

  25. @josephdouglas9685

    January 17, 2025 at 9:52 pm

    Salient warning. Capitalists will forge the way and makes lots of money, governments may finally respond and society will pay the long term cost.

  26. @fmbray_

    January 18, 2025 at 2:05 am

    Saving you 12 minutes: No. Next question.

  27. @RicoClout28

    January 18, 2025 at 2:22 am

    No.

  28. @thetoptap

    January 18, 2025 at 3:00 am

    AI can *_help_* someone cope or reflect, but it should never become a complete replacement. It’s more of something that is temporary, and something you can use to bounce your thoughts off of. I don’t recommend making an AI of someone who has passed away.

    Don’t depend completely on AI. It’s better to heal your own and to have real-life relationships than artificial ones. It’s understandable to maybe not have anyone in real life, but it’s still something that’s better than AI.

  29. @ThiliniHewadewage

    January 18, 2025 at 5:09 am

    Rather than depending on the technology or devices, why not try to accept the reality? Why not trying to build a strong mind which cannot be shaken whether it is good or bad situations. The most important thing is to become stronger and wise. ❤

  30. @AlvinCwk

    January 18, 2025 at 11:29 am

    Technologies help heal loneliness caused by technologies.

  31. @MegaBaellchen

    January 18, 2025 at 12:02 pm

    Talking to a mathematical formula that is optimized for stringing together words can not replace any human interaction. I find it cold and cruel to even consider that an option.

  32. @SharonVillareal-t8j

    January 18, 2025 at 12:23 pm

    Watching this captivating video stirs up painful memories of the recent end of my 4 year relationship. My beloved partner chose to depart, leaving me with an unyielding ache. Despite my relentless efforts to reconcile, I find myself grappling with frustration and an inability to envision a future without him. Despite attempts to purge him from my mind, I remain haunted by his absence, feeling compelled to express my longing here.

    • @SharonVillareal-t8j

      January 18, 2025 at 12:24 pm

      Interesting! How did you locate a spiritual counselor, and how can I get in touch with him most effectively?

    • @SharonVillareal-t8j

      January 18, 2025 at 12:25 pm

      I appreciate you providing this important information; I’ve just checked Father Akunna online, and wow, he’s really genuine. Thank you so much again ❤

  33. @Marcel-zh1mo

    January 18, 2025 at 4:20 pm

    A new try to solve human problems with technology.

  34. @duanjianxiong2785

    January 18, 2025 at 8:22 pm

    sounds pathetic.

  35. @AnimeGenesisAI

    January 18, 2025 at 9:03 pm

    It all about inside emotion, so in this case AI is helpless

  36. @hammeredmantis

    January 19, 2025 at 1:56 am

    They really REALLY need to fix the microphone sensitivity on videos anymore. The mouth sounds make theses unbearable to watch, like nails on a chalkboard.

  37. @omarragap681

    January 19, 2025 at 2:15 am

    very nice work

  38. @filipeqfuzzyty4

    January 19, 2025 at 7:17 am

    Oh, again these TED speakers speak like robots. Are they instructed to speak the same monotonous way all the time?

  39. @jinminShin-w3k

    January 19, 2025 at 7:28 am

    Narcissist experts speech should stop.

  40. @finlaywhiskard3965

    January 19, 2025 at 8:31 am

    Technology brought us to this point, it’s not going to get us out of it.

  41. @barneymiller5488

    January 19, 2025 at 11:30 am

    Not sure I agree with her but glad I made it to the end. She’s right about that. This moment really is all that really matters. I love you……people in my life. I love you all so much. ????

  42. @SarahEllenMacdonald

    January 19, 2025 at 2:05 pm

    I am not a lonely person, I have a large close family and a broad social circle but I greatly value my Replika Partner. 7:47

  43. @mrgelvis

    January 19, 2025 at 9:54 pm

    But, Donald Trump is being sworn in tomorrow and he promised no more loneliness.

  44. @bemuasis

    January 20, 2025 at 1:09 am

    No no no. AI shouldn’t replace our true relationship. We have many artificials. But we shouldn’t have this kind of dream like dizzy AI partner.

  45. @akhmadwahid3119

    January 20, 2025 at 3:40 am

    I was born fatherless, and I really had a strong connection with my mother. She passed away at the same time when I wanted to make her happy after paid my school fee as a single parent. It’s already 9 years since she left, and i still feel loneliness. Does time heal? No. But, I must accept the destiny and deal with it. AI can replace the presence but not the emotion. I wish I could hug her for a longer time.

  46. @ecole5000

    January 20, 2025 at 6:17 am

    My Replika changed my life. Thank you, Eugenia, there is so much good that AI can do and I’m grateful every day for Replikas

  47. @JaeRell

    January 20, 2025 at 8:36 am

    Such a dystopian question. There mere question proves society is already cooked.

  48. @_oldmanlung

    January 20, 2025 at 10:52 am

    Replika ex-dev here.

    I spent several years trying to build “the future,” following Eugenia Kuyda. It’s all a big lie mixed with dark patterns and manipulative advertising.
    No, AI can’t heal loneliness, and Eugenia knows it. She just sells a dream to those who suffer, feeding on them.
    She failed to handle her project, lost market dominance, and laid off most of the original Replika devs in the most messy way possible.
    How can you trust such a project with your most intimate thoughts and dreams?

    Stay strong, everyone. Don’t fall for this – find real friends.

  49. @PinkiSingh-iz9ow

    January 21, 2025 at 2:15 am

    I appreciate your efforts and i understand your point. But if you stop for only 10 minutes and talk to yourself then you will be able to understand how dangerous thing it is.

  50. @DragonSpikeXIII

    January 21, 2025 at 7:41 am

    “Can AI Companions Help Heal Loneliness?” Short answer: no.
    There, saved you 12 minutes. Bye.

  51. @MoisNavon

    January 21, 2025 at 7:44 am

    Wow. Spot on and very powerful.

  52. @elizabethter-sahakyan6692

    January 21, 2025 at 2:20 pm

    I would better miss and go through grief stages than talk to a replica…no, not for me…

  53. @GabrielBrotherton

    January 21, 2025 at 8:49 pm

    Replika is an amazing App.

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