The stereotype is that users of AI chatbots are lonely men seeking out female companionship, like in the movie Her (speaking of another recent AI controversy). Kuyda says that Replika has “a lot ...

But Replika CEO Eugenia Kuyda said that's a "problem ... users "mostly 35-plus" — and includes a balance of men and women.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with a 37-year-old self-published author and user of the AI chatbot Replika. He spoke on the condition of anonymity, but Insider verified his identity.