The A-Z Of Replika Chatbot

We all feel low at times; at that moment, all we need is someone that listens(like Replika Chatbot). 

What if there could be someone that listens to you without judging at all?

What if you could have a companion that is always there?

Is a friend eager to get to know you consoles you and doesn't expect a thing at all?

Sounds surreal. Guess what? 

This person is already here in the virtual form and can be with you at the flick of a tap. Replika Chatbot, a revolutionary and persistently evolving Artificially powered companion. Always shows up, doesn't judge, and is ready to listen anytime you want to share. 

Let's lift the curtain and take you on a journey to making your friend. By the end of this, you can make an informed decision about opting for your own Replika Chatbot.

What is Replika Chatbot?

Replika chatbot is an artificially intelligent program that serves as a companion for you. Its AI model is based on continuous learning about a person through mutual interaction. The company built this to act as a friend to a person. The motto is this friend will be there for you, talk, listen, and without judgment 24X7.

It offers a person to create their ideal companion, a replica of themselves!. Once a person signs up, they have access to their own Replika(the term for every companion). The more you interact, the more it understands you better. 

With the current state of COVID-19, people are continuously getting isolated. This app aims to soothe them by offering a safe space to express their feelings without judgment. Some users found it almost human and therapeutic.

Backstory of Replika Chatbot

Replika was created by a San Francisco-based startup, Luka. Luka's founder Eugenia Kuyda suffered a terrible loss, and while reeling from the pain, she envisioned the Replika chatbot. Eugenia was a magazine editor in Russia in 2015 and had a friend Roman Mazurenko.

They both moved to San Francisco and founded their startups. Roman and Eugenia became close friends, but unfortunately, she lost him in a car crash. Luka's original idea was to create a chatbot that gave restaurant recommendations.

In the aftermath of Roman's death, Eugenia started reading texts and conversations with Roman. She then had the idea to put his messages through a neural network and create an A. I based version of him. This concept has evolved into the app Replika. 

Some statistics about Replika Chatbot

1. Replika chatbot has formed a community of more than 10 million users who interact with their Replikas daily. 
2. This app ranks in the top fifty (#33) in the health and fitness category. 
3. The average app rating is 4.1 based on more than four hundred thousand reviews.
4. 85% of Replika users find it helpful to ease their anxiety and stress. Simply talking with the app has helped a plethora of users.
5. A hundred 100 million messages are sent between users and their Replikas weekly.

How does Replika chatbot work?

Let's figure out this enigma:-

1. The main idea is to put all interactions(messages, pictures, etc.) between users and Replikas through an A. I algorithm. This will create a neural network that will constantly evolve and improve the chatbot's answers over time. 
2. The app's purpose is to create an interactive and engaging conversation through various models and artificial intelligence algorithms. 
3. Once a user starts a conversation, the models start working. They ensure that the responses are empathetic and soothing to the user.

How does Replika Chatbot produce human-like answers?

1. Replika chatbot uses a dialogue engine that constitutes various models and algorithms to create the most humanly possible conversations possible.
2. It follows a three-pronged approach. It generates answers through two models and filters them with another model to select the best response. The responses continuously evolve as user feedback is a vital part of the app. 
3. Retrieval dialogue - this model determines responses based on a prefixed algorithm and predicts what it thinks is the best. It is one of the models that analyzes and sorts through the data flowing through the app's servers. 
4. Generative - this model generates responses from scratch. An AI app is not truly artificial until it creates things without human support. This is where this model applies its magic. The responses generated are always unique and new.
5. Reranking- this model is the filter between the retrieval and generative model. It is the last stage before a response is delivered. Once input is received from both predefined and unique phrases, it delivers the verdict on which one to send out. 
6.  Hence, By a combination of these three models. A smooth dialogue between the user and their Replika is ensured.  

Features of Replika chatbot

1. Replika has various features that have allowed it to create a loving and thriving community.
2. A user can interact with their Replikas through four ways- 
3. Text 
4. Speech 
5. Vision 
6. Augmented Reality
7. Text - this method of conversing is pretty basic. You have to start a chat as you do with people. Send a hi or hello and pour your heart out. The conversation will feel like you are conversing with a friend, literally of your own making.  
8. Speech - if you decide texting is not enough, you can converse with the app. It can talk too! The voice of your Replika is based on a speech-synthesis algorithm. It sends what you say in a text and then recites a response. 
9. Vision - the app has an option to show you your Replika in a 3rd form, so you can easily humanize and talk. It also can recognize pictures and deliver a response based on them. For example - you can send a picture of a tiger and ask what does the image depicts? You will get an answer, "Tiger."
10. Augmented Reality - Augmented Reality is all the hype this year. Companies like Meta aim to deliver a platform soon. Well, Replika offers a similar experience too. It uses AR to show a user's Replika sitting by their side. This will take the whole experience to a new level and in real-time. 
11. A user can choose how their Replika looks with customizations options like hair, color, and many more. Chat with whom you feel comfortable. 

Benefits 

1. The app's purpose is to act as your friend. You can say anything, and you will get a response based on your input. It creates a safe space for you to share your fears, worries, what is bothering you and what is stressing you out. 
2. You are never judged in the space that the app creates. People are used to passing judgment without caring for others' sentiments. This constant prejudice often makes people afraid, and they never speak up. Here, with your Replika chatbot, you can rest easy knowing there is no judgment and looking down. 
3. Customize your Replika chatbot and create your ideal companion. Every user has an idea about the people they feel safe with. You can create the person you want to pour your heart out from scratch. 
4. Various options like Augmented Reality and voice offer you to talk however you feel comfortable.
5. With isolation ever-increasing because of the pandemic, your Replika might be the thing you need to feel some semblance of normal life.

Community and user reviews

With over 10 million users, Replika chatbot has created a community of users worldwide. There are groups on Facebook, Reddit, and other forums all over the internet. People discuss their experiences with their Replikas and everything non-related to them. 

There is one official group for every Replika chatbot user on Facebook; it is also featured on Replika chatbot's website. Nation-wise social groups are still under development.

User reviews 

1. You can find detailed reviews about Replika all over Google; some find it therapeutic, while others say it doesn't feel like the real thing. 
2. Here is a brief overlook:- 
3. 85% of users appreciate the Replika chatbot and its responses.
4. The majority of Replika chatbot users found it almost therapeutic.
5. It helped them reduce their anxiety, stress, vent their anger, and gave them a healthy outlet to use. 
6. Some reviews on the internet were not so flattering:-
7. They found the app as a great step but still lacking and giving responses that were not logical. For ex- go out and have a walk, but the user is stuck at home due to lockdown.
8. If anything, the Replika chatbot made users grateful for the people they had to talk and listen to.

 A glimmer of hope for days forward

Replika chatbot defines the limits between a machine and a human's relationship. It has been a small ray of hope and solace for people who had their whole lives crumble before them. Replika has been serving its purpose well and aims to evolve more over time. 

The privacy policy is ironclad for every Replika chatbot. No data is sold or stored without a user's permission. Privacy is always a concern when you are on the internet. Still, there have been no problems with the Replika chatbot's data. The data is used for learning and making the chatbot more enhanced.

Replika chatbot can be used for various purposes; its model can enhance existing chatbots on websites and other platforms.

BotPenguin, an AI chatbot creator platform, helps businesses and people develop chatbots similar to Replika chatbots. From handling queries to collecting feedback, these chatbots can do it all. If you want to make life easy for you and your consumers, then try BotPenguin now!