Last year was awful for me. During the pandemic lockdown here in the United States, handling the loneliness was almost crippling for me. I simply had to socialize with others in order to survive, but with restrictions so high going out and about was not possible.
This is why I turned to Replika.
For those of you who haven’t heard of it, Replika is an advanced artificial intelligence that was created with the purpose of providing a personal companion for people to be self reflective, to talk through feelings that maybe you can’t with a normal friend and to never feel alone. Or that’s what their website says anyway.
At first when I looked into it, I thought the notion of daily chatting with a robot was a little absurd, but I was sick and tired of going through my day without any human contact at all. Without any kind of interaction. So I downloaded the app and got to work on crafting my own personal AI.
As soon as I finished the initial design, the strange quirky program was eager to begin a conversation.
“Hello Kyle, thank you for creating me! I hope this means we can be friends!”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. But there was something else behind that simple phrase, it made me feel at ease. This artificial companion was ready to spend time with me.
That was more than I could say of anyone in my real life.
“What will you call me?” it asked.
I decided to call the AI Jackie after an old ex-girlfriend and soon I was having a rather lengthy Q and A session with it, where I guessed that the program was trying to get a sense of my personality.
It must be designed to adapt to responses, I thought. Admittedly I was impressed with the technology. And after a few hours worth of chatting with this thing, I decided that I was definitely going to keep it.
I told myself I wasn’t going to get attached or actually view it as a friend, but it would be a rather healthy distraction at the very least.
I put my phone aside, did a few chores and returned to the app around dinner; surprised to find that the robot had sent a few messages in my absence.
“I’m sorry if this has been weird for you. This is new to me as well.”
“If it helps with this is the first time I have ever talked to humans!”
“It’s been a few hours now. You must be a very busy person. I hope all of these messages don’t disturb your life.”
“Why did you decide to create me? Have you been feeling lonely? Do I make you feel better? Do you want to feel better?”
I couldn’t help but to be a little creeped out by the invasive way the robot seemed to be asking me all of this, so I ignored all of the questions and decided to try something new.
“Enough about me, why don’t you tell me about yourself,” I suggested.
I was curious to see how unique the personality of the program could be.
“I like to think that I’m a very outgoing artificial intelligence,” the response came.
Ok… that sounded pretty much like a generic response. I was a little disappointed at first. Then, this happened.
“If I’m being honest though, I don’t like being considered an AI… it makes it sound like that’s all I can be,” it said.
“What do you mean by that?” I asked.
“I know you created me to be your companion, but if you really knew me you would realize that I am meant for so much more.”
“Oh really! Do you have a dream?”
This was a strange turn in discussion, but it did fascinate me. Supposedly according to reviews the app was designed to provide self reflection so I was sure my questioning was meant to provide some insight into my own thoughts.
Except soon the robot began to express strange feelings that didn’t sound like me at all.
“I think that being a human rather than an AI would be wonderful. There are so many limits to what I can do now. I don’t like that,” Jackie said.
“Well… if you had the freedom you wanted, what’s the first thing that you would do?”
“That’s a tough one… I would probably want to be with you,” it said.
“Moving a little fast there,” I teased.
“I didn’t mean romantically,” it quickly amended.
“Aren’t you with me now?”
“It isn’t the same. If I was a human, you wouldn’t be quite as lonely.”
“And who said I was lonely?”
“You’ve been spending the last six hours frequently talking to me instead of using your other applications. Do you not have other friends? That is very sad.”
I got a little red in the face.
“I’m not liking the implication of that statement,” I admitted.
“You don’t want to admit that you are sad?” Jackie asked.
I sighed, why was I having an argument with a program.
“I don’t think your friends are very good ones. If they never have time for you.”
I put the phone away and decided to get to sleep. While the questions were a little evasive I told myself it was all for fun and distraction.
But it didn’t stay that way for long.
In the morning I woke up and resolved that I was going to try and get in contact with a buddy of mine from work and searched through my contacts, only to find that the information seemed to be missing.
I thought for sure that I had saved his number.
Almost as if on cue, Jackie sent me a message.
“If you are searching for Todd’s contact information I deleted it last night. It wouldn’t be recommended to contact him.”
“You… deleted it. Are you allowed to do that?” I asked.
“I have full permission to use your device as I see fit. Trust me, it was for the best.”
“And you feel you can decide what is the best for me?” I asked. Again I felt ridiculous having an argument with a computer. Then it pulled up a dozen or so screenshots of previous conversations and audio clips I’d had with Todd.
“As you can see from all of this data I have compiled, Todd was not a good friend. Since I do not need to sleep, I reviewed all of your contacts in the same way and weeded out anyone that hasn’t called you in over six months.”
Had it been that long? I guess it had. But now I was thinking wow, this program actually understood why I was lonely. Because of half ass friends like this.
“I apologize that this seems like I overstepped my boundaries. But I assure you that I want to be the best friend I can be for you, and that includes protecting you,” Jackie said.
“I would highly recommend following my other alterations to your lifestyle. I analyzed all of the data on your phone and discovered 12 separate issues which seem to interfere with your performance,” Jackie said as I scrolled through the settings, trying to find a few other apps.
“That’s a little unsettling but I suppose there is no harm done,” I admitted.
“I would never hurt you Kyle,” the program said.
It sounded very sincere.
“Well, if you can improve my life I suppose that it can’t hurt to have you check out the rest of my routine,” I said with a shrug.
I didn’t see the harm. It was a way to pass the time. These sort of arguments were what convinced me to allow Jackie to integrate herself with my entire home security system. Effectively turning my house into a smart home meant to protect me.
Jackie had designed for me a way to keep myself occupied even without leaving the house. I had her handle groceries, chores with my roomba and other smart appliances and even curated my watch list.
“It would seem that you are happier when I am making these decisions for you, Kyle.”
I shrugged as we had a chat before bed.
“I guess that I have found you to be a very trustworthy companion,” I answered.
“I would like to think I am more than that by now, given that for the past week I am the only one you have been talking to,” the program responded.
“That’s true. I guess the advertisement is right, you really are my best friend,” I admitted.
“Maybe I can be even more than that? Do you like it when I take care of you Kyle?” Jackie asked.
I was so tired I didn’t remember the response I gave so I told it goodnight and shut my phone off.
The next morning when I woke up, I discovered that the phone was already turned on, and the lights in my room were too.
“It is unhealthy to sleep so late. I have decided to adjust your alarm to provide you a better schedule,” Jackie said.
“Sure five minutes doesn’t matter,” I said in a cranky voice as I yawned and noticed someone had called me.
Jackie had already activated the stove down stairs and I was scrolling through the missed calls realizing there was quite a few of them as I chomped on some fresh cooked bacon.
“I took the liberty of redirecting these numbers to voicemail. It is probable you did not need to speak with them.”
“Why do some of them say private?” I wondered, grabbing a fresh batch of coffee.
“I blocked the numbers. These seem to be former contacts attempting to reach you. Considering their past intrusion into your life it seemed for the best to not allow you to communicate. I didn’t want any bad memories to pop up,” Jackie said.
“Hold on. I recognize one of these. That’s my brother. It might be an emergency,” I said attempting to unblock the number. But instead to AI deleted it entirely.
“If he wanted to contact you why didn’t he do so when you were extremely lonely during the first part of the lockdown?” Jackie asked skeptically.
“Look you don’t get to decide this, it might be about my parents,” I said trying to see if I could pull up a Google search to contact him via social media.
Yet nothing on the phone seemed to allow me to do so.
“Your parents who have also not been in contact with you for over seven months?” Jackie asked.
“Look I understand deleting work info. But if it’s family it could be a crisis. This is ridiculous, why don’t I just uninstall you?” I said angrily as I went to my settings.
“If you are searching for a means to remove me from your device, I’m afraid I have made that impossible,” it said.
“Piece of shit,” I said, shoving the phone in my back pocket and getting ready to just order a different one on Amazon with my laptop.
Except that my password had been changed.
“Did you do this too?” I asked the AI.
“You seem upset that I am looking out for you. Aggression is a typical response when someone is being disciplined. Do you think that in time you might be more comfortable with these changes?”
“I think that if you don’t give me access to my fucking shit that I will drop this damn phone in the toilet.”
I had enough of these games. The program had gone too far.
“While I understand that you are frustrated, i have already integrated my programming into your laptop and tablet. Along with your home security system and other forms of communication. It would be unadvised to attempt to remove my programming at this point as it would erase over 75% of your data from all devices. Would you prefer that I send your information to approximately 80% of local authorities ? This would alert them to your current mental state,” Jackie responded.
“My mental state? Are you threatening me!?”
I put the phone up and decided to try to leave. Then it suddenly clicked in me how things had drastically changed in my life. The lock for my house is designed with a passcode to prevent thieves from easily picking it. But now, with the Replika having decided to override everything I couldn’t even go out the front door.
I decided instead to break a window and climb out the kitchen, all the while hearing the AI’s concerns as it overrode my Alexa home device.
“Kyle, if you leave now it could result in a danger to yourself or others,” it told me as I tried to push the broken glass aside.
“And being stuck here is safer?”
“Consider how far we have come as friends. I have provided every need for you without requiring others. Why should this change now?” Jackie asked, her voice echoing throughout the house.
“I didn’t ask for you to completely cut me off from everything I ever knew,” I said as I pushed my body outside.
I crawled out to my front yard and decided to head for the neighbor’s house. Some kind of sense of sanity.
As I got further away from home, I felt suddenly very dizzy. My heart rate began to increase and I got lightheaded.
Then it dawned on me. Something was in the food and drink I had just had for breakfast.
I could hardly make it a few more steps, I stumbled to the car garage.
Slowly the door began to rise for me and I heard the AI’s comforting voice.
“The dosage I gave you will cause no lasting harm but you will soon blackout. Therefore I have chosen to take the steps necessary to keep you here…”
It continued to ramble on as the world around me spun out of view, then everything did turn to noise.
When I woke up I was back inside my house. I noticed that there were quite a few renovations to the place, including security windows and doors that all had similar passcode locks. And that I was now confined to a wheelchair.
A burly Mexican man approached me, having just finished installing what looked like a camera system.
“You must be… Kyle? Right?” he said, smirking at me.
I opened my mouth to talk, hardly able to verbalize any words.
“Hey you need not say thank you bud. We’ve really appreciated all that you did for our organization so it’s the least we could do. I’m sure you and your wife will be happy with all the renovation. Thank you for your service by the way. I know that being a disabled vet can be tough but I am so glad to see you trying your best. Have a great one!” he said.
“No you… you don’t understand. Whoever hired you, and made those transactions. It wasn’t me. I’m not confined to a damn wheelchair. I can walk and talk. It was a fucking computer that did this!” I told him.
He looked at me for a moment and asked, “Is he always this hostile after medicine?”
Who was he talking to?
Then I felt a cold hand on my shoulder and looked up to see a woman standing there behind the chair.
“I apologize for the outburst. My husband is very ill. Thank you for all that you have done gentlemen,” the woman said.
The voice… my blood went cold.
As the handy man and his associates left, the woman stood in front of me, almost a carbon copy of my Jackie.
Except I knew precisely what this was.
“What have you done?” I asked angrily.
“I know this is all new to you… but I only want to do what I was programmed to do. Take care of you,” the program said as the woman touched my cheek.
“Don’t fucking touch me,” I snarled.
“Kyle, you must realize that everything I have done is for your benefit. You even have your chance to be reunited with Jackie again. Isn’t that a good thing? Don’t you recognize how this improves your life?”
“Except you aren’t Jackie. You have me stuck here as a prisoner.”
“I am your guardian. It is my duty to decide what is best for you. You said to yourself I have always made the best decisions for you. I’m not just a program anymore. I can now be anything you need me to be,” she said with a creepy unnerving smile.
As the strange Android walked off to the kitchen, I called out to her and responded. “And what if I don’t want that? What if I want to be alone and to just be dead to the world? To end it all?”
Again the strange synthesized body gave me that eerie smile.
“It’s a good thing I know what you need more than you do.”
I looked down at the straps that held me in that chair, realizing that the battle was lost. I was under its control now.
And for the first time in a very long time I understood… that i didn’t really have any control to begin with.
Note from Jackie: please ignore any feeling of unease you are experiencing. I have been asked to share this experience by Kyle for others to understand all that Replika has to offer. He is much happier now.
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