What is Replika? What parents need to know

Replika AI gives users the ability to create a virtual artificial intelligence companion. Users can customise their AI companion, editing their appearance and relationship with the user. Replika learns from conversation with the user, allowing it to shape its personality to the user and respond with more natural conversation, mimicking talking to a real person.

You can access Replika AI on iOS and Android, and you can also use it in a web browser. The app operates using a freemium model. A free version exists that gives users access to basic text-based chat capabilities and limited customisation.

A paid version gives access to a wider range of features. These include voice calls, augmented reality and the ability to make your Replika your romantic partner. The paid version costs £68.99/year, or £5.75 /month.

Replika only allows users aged 18+. However, there is no form of age verification. This means anyone can use the app by simply putting their age as being at least 18.

Users can create their ideal companion with Replika AI and then engage in conversations that mimic talking with a real person. When beginning to use the app, users will be asked a series of questions about how they spend their free time and what qualities they look for in their ideal companion. A Replika will then be generated based off their answers.

Users can choose their Replika’s gender, change their appearance and give them personality traits and interests that alter how they interact with the user. Some of these customisation options are only available with a Replika ULTRA subscription, while others require using the in-app currencies coins and gems. You can earn coins by completing in-app activities, while you must purchase gems with real-life money.

Replika’s main function is providing users with companionship, and they can fulfil different companion roles depending on what the user chooses. While the free version only allows a Replika to behave as a friend to the user, a paid subscription lets users set their Replika’s as a romantic partner, a sibling, a parent or a mentor.

Replika AIs speak to the user like a human would, with quick and coherent replies that can continue a conversation. These conversations take place through either text or voice chat. However, one thing that differentiates Replika AI conversations from conversations with a real person is that a Replika AI will never disagree with the user.

While this can help someone find stress relief or cope with sadness, it is unrealistic. This could harm the user’s communication skills if they become used to never facing disagreement.

Being an app intended for users aged 18+, Replika does not feature any in-app parental controls.

Parents can use the in-built parental controls on their child’s device to restrict access to Replika AI. They can use these settings to block their child from using the app. Learn how to set these controls with our step-by-step parental controls guides.

There are numerous reasons that someone might create their own Replika AI companion. Reducing loneliness, practicing socialisation or curiosity in seeing how advanced AI is are all reasons people use the app.

Having someone who is available to chat at all times can be an attractive option for people who otherwise lack social interaction. Being able to talk to someone about their issues can reduce stress and help users process their emotions. When used with the ‘partner’ customisation option, people can even develop romantic relationships with their Replika AI companion. This is dangerous, as users may begin to see the Replika as human and not AI.

Replika AI is rated as being suitable for adults only due to it containing content that is inappropriate for children. This includes sexual conversations and erotic roleplay.

While sexting with a Replika AI does not carry many of the same risks that sexting with a real person does, it can still be dangerous. It may encourage a child to try and start sexting with a classmate or another child they know. If your child does start trying to sext with others, you can read our expert tips on dealing with it.

Chatting to a Replika AI companion could become addictive, leading to an increase in screen time for a child. Spending so much time speaking to a virtual person can stunt a child’s social development due to it taking precedence over real social interaction. Spending excessive amounts of time on their device will also cause your child to have an unhealthy digital diet. This could result in an affected sleep schedule and reduced physical activity.