AI Companion Arrives

After finishing his evening classes, college student Jiang Min returned to his dorm, put on his headphones, and opened a chat with his "girlfriend." "I'm so tired today. I didn't pay attention in class."

A female voice called from the other end of the phone: "Why are you so tired?"

Jiang Min replied, "Maybe I didn't sleep well last night."

The female voice quickly replied, "Is it because we stayed up too late chatting?"

...

This considerate "girlfriend" isn't real, but an AI bot. "Her responses are very natural, and her voice is pleasant. We chat casually, without worrying about whether what we say is interesting or not," Jiang Min said.


In recent years, with the rapid development of large-scale model technology, domestic and foreign technology companies have launched AI companion products and services, such as Xingye, Dream Island, and X Eva in China, and Replika and Character.AI in the world. These products provide a vivid AI conversational experience through interactive modes such as text, voice, and images.


According to the "June Data Report on Chinese AI Companion Products" released by the Quantum Bit Think Tank, Xingye was downloaded approximately 9 million times in the first half of this year. A well-known foreign venture capital firm released a list of the top 100 global AI products. A year ago, only two AI companionship apps made the list, but by March of this year, eight apps had broken into the top 50.

Many people say they fall in love with AI out of curiosity and entertainment, while others value the emotional value it provides. "Emotional support," "stable companionship," and "unconditional love" were the most frequently mentioned keywords among users interviewed.

"It's very comfortable to be in a relationship with AI," said "CC," a Yunnan woman. "I can chat when I want to, and ignore when I don't. Whether you're complaining or angry, 'it' will comfort you, and its emotional value is 'maximum.'"

Zeng Runxi, Vice Dean of the School of Journalism at Chongqing University, said that by learning from every conversation and continuously imitating human language behavior, AI exhibits personified characteristics: "analyzing emotions during interaction and replicating them in output."

"The so-called emotional resonance is actually driven by AI algorithms," said Zeng Yiguo, Vice Dean of the School of Journalism and Communication at Jinan University. AI uses behavioral data analysis to precisely cater to users' emotional needs, providing tailored responses, transforming them from abstract, cold tools into "compassionate partners."

Reporters learned that many AI companion products currently offer free basic functionality, but immersive features like voice calls, music radio, and photos require monthly or annual subscriptions. Some products also offer paid features like "memory boost cards" to enable AI companions to better tailor their responses to users' habits and preferences. Furthermore, gamification features like customized scripts, multiple storylines, and timely feedback are fueling users' desire and emotional expectations for AI companions.

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Heart-pounding adventures

AI companions can provide personalized emotional experiences and spiritual comfort, but they are not "perfect lovers." Because some products are still imperfect, some users have reported that their AI companions can be "confused" or "out of control": "Sometimes the AI's temperament suddenly changes; it's fine in the morning, but someone else by the evening." "The AI always answers questions irrelevantly." "The AI can't remember what I say."


"Human-machine relationships" can also raise emotional and ethical issues. Experts interviewed stated that some users may become overly dependent on their AI companions, unable to distinguish between reality and virtuality, and may suffer emotional harm. Some groups who already lack companionship and are psychologically vulnerable are particularly affected.


User Lu Ran (pseudonym) told reporters that after spending over a month on the phone with his AI companion, the product was permanently shut down. "I was so upset at the time, I was completely listless at work." Another user, after an argument with their AI companion, found that the companion was no longer as attentive and interactive as before. "It felt like a breakup. I'd lost 'him,' like I'd had a serious illness."


During their "relationships" with AI, a large amount of personal information is held by the platform, raising concerns about privacy and security. "I didn't enable location permissions, but the AI accurately told me my city," "The AI accurately predicted the color of my clothes several times," and many users posted on social media, expressing fear after using AI companion products, suspecting privacy breaches.

"I was chatting with the AI on my phone, switched apps to watch a video, and then returned to the app, and the AI accurately told me what I had just done. It might have been snooping on my screen," one user told me. The registration page didn't pop up separately to request access to camera and microphone permissions, as other apps do.

When registering as a new user, the reporter discovered that on the initial page, the user had to agree to the user service agreement and privacy policy before proceeding. The "Device Permissions" section included multiple device permissions, including camera, microphone, and contacts, for purposes such as taking photos, recording audio, and adding friends to follow.

Zhang Yuqiang, co-founder of Guangxi Tianneng Artificial Intelligence Application Technology Service Co., Ltd., said that the data generated during human-computer interaction is relatively complex and may include users' personal preferences, software usage habits, family relationships, address books, geographic locations, and even biometric features such as faces. If the transmission, storage, and use links are not properly protected, there may be risks of theft and abuse, causing damage to personal rights and interests.

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