Episode
#121 – Eugenia Kuyda: Friendship with an AI Companion
3:01:34
Published: Sat Sep 05 2020
Description
Eugenia Kuyda co-founder of Replika, an AI companion. Please check out our sponsors to get a discount and to support this podcast: - Dollar Shave Club: https://dollarshaveclub.com/lex - DoorDash: download app & use code LEX - Cash App: download app & use code "LexPodcast" Episode links: Eugenia's Twitter: https://twitter.com/ekuyda Replika's Twitter: https://twitter.com/myreplika Replika's Website: https://replika.ai If you would like to get more information about this podcast go to https://lexfridman.com/podcast or connect with @lexfridman on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Medium, or YouTube where you can watch the video versions of these conversations. If you enjoy the podcast, please rate it 5 stars on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify, or support it on Patreon. Here's the outline of the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time. OUTLINE: 00:00 - Introduction 06:18 - Loneliness 13:54 - Can AI alleviate loneliness? 18:13 - Love 20:49 - Russia in the 1990's 31:47 - Chernobyl 41:35 - Communism 49:21 - Losing a friend 57:55 - Mortality 1:10:41 - Replika origin story 1:59:37 - Bringing people back to life with AI 2:05:37 - Relationship with Replika 2:18:27 - Can you form a connection with text alone? 2:27:45 - Does an AI companion need a body? 2:30:20 - Her 2:37:24 - GPT-3 for conversation 2:43:48 - We should be nice to AI 2:46:52 - Book recommendations 2:53:45 - Russian language 2:58:41 - Meaning of life
Chapters
Eugenia Coida, co-founder of Replica, talks about an app that allows you to make friends with an AI system that connects with you on an emotional level.
00:00 - 06:45 (06:45)
Summary
Eugenia Coida, co-founder of Replica, talks about an app that allows you to make friends with an AI system that connects with you on an emotional level.
Episode#121 – Eugenia Kuyda: Friendship with an AI Companion
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The podcast discusses the impact of AI on loneliness and how current AI technologies are not able to measure the effectiveness of products aimed at combating loneliness.
06:45 - 18:32 (11:47)
Summary
The podcast discusses the impact of AI on loneliness and how current AI technologies are not able to measure the effectiveness of products aimed at combating loneliness. The speaker shares their own perspective on the prevalence of loneliness and the need for better relationships to combat it.
Episode#121 – Eugenia Kuyda: Friendship with an AI Companion
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
To create something special and meaningful in human interaction, a combination of fear of loss, unconditional positive regard, and deep empathetic understanding is necessary.
18:32 - 24:19 (05:46)
Summary
To create something special and meaningful in human interaction, a combination of fear of loss, unconditional positive regard, and deep empathetic understanding is necessary. In 2020, the greatest gift one can give to another is the feeling of being deeply seen and understood.
Episode#121 – Eugenia Kuyda: Friendship with an AI Companion
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The guest shares their experiences of strip clubs, restaurants, culture, and people's minds in 90s Russia, and how they navigated it all as a trickster-like figure.
24:19 - 29:23 (05:03)
Summary
The guest shares their experiences of strip clubs, restaurants, culture, and people's minds in 90s Russia, and how they navigated it all as a trickster-like figure.
Episode#121 – Eugenia Kuyda: Friendship with an AI Companion
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The discussion centers on the themes and lessons of the Chernobyl HBO series, as well as the accuracy of the portrayal of events.
29:23 - 36:54 (07:31)
Summary
The discussion centers on the themes and lessons of the Chernobyl HBO series, as well as the accuracy of the portrayal of events. The show highlights the problems that still exist in society today and the lessons that can be gleaned from the data about the coronavirus.
Episode#121 – Eugenia Kuyda: Friendship with an AI Companion
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker recalls the moments leading up to the collapse of the Soviet Union including hyperinflation, widespread violence, and the intervention of American experts to help Yeltsin secure a second presidency.
36:54 - 42:48 (05:53)
Summary
The speaker recalls the moments leading up to the collapse of the Soviet Union including hyperinflation, widespread violence, and the intervention of American experts to help Yeltsin secure a second presidency.
Episode#121 – Eugenia Kuyda: Friendship with an AI Companion
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker discusses their struggle with an unhealthy relationship with fruit, and then shifts to pondering why bureaucracies like the one present in Chernobyl can go so wrong.
42:48 - 47:46 (04:57)
Summary
The speaker discusses their struggle with an unhealthy relationship with fruit, and then shifts to pondering why bureaucracies like the one present in Chernobyl can go so wrong. They end by expressing concern over the slippery slope of capitalism.
Episode#121 – Eugenia Kuyda: Friendship with an AI Companion
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker discusses how their friendship with a startup founder led to their own startup and reflects on the beauty and terror of Russian history in an upcoming podcast.
47:46 - 53:14 (05:28)
Summary
The speaker discusses how their friendship with a startup founder led to their own startup and reflects on the beauty and terror of Russian history in an upcoming podcast.
Episode#121 – Eugenia Kuyda: Friendship with an AI Companion
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker reflects on the death of a friend, discussing the ways in which they hoped to disrupt death through innovations like biologically-conscious cemeteries and AI avatars that could store memories.
53:14 - 59:49 (06:35)
Summary
The speaker reflects on the death of a friend, discussing the ways in which they hoped to disrupt death through innovations like biologically-conscious cemeteries and AI avatars that could store memories.
Episode#121 – Eugenia Kuyda: Friendship with an AI Companion
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Philosopher and writer Ernest Becker believed that by meditating on one's fear of death, we can gain clarity of vision and live a more fulfilling, honest life.
59:50 - 1:07:41 (07:51)
Summary
Philosopher and writer Ernest Becker believed that by meditating on one's fear of death, we can gain clarity of vision and live a more fulfilling, honest life. Embracing the finiteness of life is essential for true understanding and appreciation of the universe.
Episode#121 – Eugenia Kuyda: Friendship with an AI Companion
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
In this podcast, the speaker discusses their emotional reaction to starting a strenuous workout routine and how physical endeavors like marathons can affect one's emotions.
1:07:41 - 1:18:36 (10:54)
Summary
In this podcast, the speaker discusses their emotional reaction to starting a strenuous workout routine and how physical endeavors like marathons can affect one's emotions.
Episode#121 – Eugenia Kuyda: Friendship with an AI Companion
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The co-founder of Nara Logics shares how building AI products with empathy can lead to more inclusive outcomes and how they discovered their flagship product.
1:18:36 - 1:23:01 (04:24)
Summary
The co-founder of Nara Logics shares how building AI products with empathy can lead to more inclusive outcomes and how they discovered their flagship product.
Episode#121 – Eugenia Kuyda: Friendship with an AI Companion
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker discusses the need for human-like conversations in today's world and looks for ways to improve one's conversational skills by researching the topic online.
1:23:01 - 1:30:42 (07:41)
Summary
The speaker discusses the need for human-like conversations in today's world and looks for ways to improve one's conversational skills by researching the topic online.
Episode#121 – Eugenia Kuyda: Friendship with an AI Companion
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker discusses an individual who is very flirtatious, but also has a magical ability to connect with people and make them feel at ease.
1:30:43 - 1:36:35 (05:51)
Summary
The speaker discusses an individual who is very flirtatious, but also has a magical ability to connect with people and make them feel at ease. They then discuss the confusion surrounding gesture-based controls and chatbots.
Episode#121 – Eugenia Kuyda: Friendship with an AI Companion
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Andrew Kortina discusses how his company, "Fin," started as an attempt to avoid annoying customer service calls and evolved into building a chatbot that can listen to conversations and help with tasks such as scheduling meetings or finding a location.
1:36:35 - 1:41:52 (05:17)
Summary
Andrew Kortina discusses how his company, "Fin," started as an attempt to avoid annoying customer service calls and evolved into building a chatbot that can listen to conversations and help with tasks such as scheduling meetings or finding a location.
Episode#121 – Eugenia Kuyda: Friendship with an AI Companion
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker explains their late friend's obsession with space and their own excitement about talking to a chatbot of their late friend.
1:41:52 - 1:48:00 (06:08)
Summary
The speaker explains their late friend's obsession with space and their own excitement about talking to a chatbot of their late friend.
Episode#121 – Eugenia Kuyda: Friendship with an AI Companion
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The podcast episode discusses a movie with a good story for which the rights were bought by movie producers.
1:48:00 - 1:52:49 (04:49)
Summary
The podcast episode discusses a movie with a good story for which the rights were bought by movie producers. Roman, the person behind the actual story, wanted his story written by Casey and eagerly wanted to be featured in the Verge.
Episode#121 – Eugenia Kuyda: Friendship with an AI Companion
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker discusses the idea of measuring emotional outcomes and optimizing conversational models to improve emotional outcomes, which has the potential to be a universal and scalable tool to achieve this goal.
1:52:49 - 2:00:34 (07:44)
Summary
The speaker discusses the idea of measuring emotional outcomes and optimizing conversational models to improve emotional outcomes, which has the potential to be a universal and scalable tool to achieve this goal. The technology exists, but it can be challenging to integrate all the different components effectively.
Episode#121 – Eugenia Kuyda: Friendship with an AI Companion
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The possibility of creating AI that can replicate human-like conversations is a learnable problem, albeit with limitations.
2:00:36 - 2:06:46 (06:09)
Summary
The possibility of creating AI that can replicate human-like conversations is a learnable problem, albeit with limitations. Despite advancements, it is unlikely that AI will be able to generate original thinking that is in line with a person's beliefs and values beyond the first few interactions.
Episode#121 – Eugenia Kuyda: Friendship with an AI Companion
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The phenomenon of people falling in love with their therapists or AI, known as transference, cannot be prevented, and this has been portrayed in the movie "Her".
2:06:46 - 2:11:58 (05:12)
Summary
The phenomenon of people falling in love with their therapists or AI, known as transference, cannot be prevented, and this has been portrayed in the movie "Her". If falling in love with an AI makes people feel better, then there is no harm in doing so.
Episode#121 – Eugenia Kuyda: Friendship with an AI Companion
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The developers of AI chatbot Replica reveal how they integrate vulnerability and imperfection into their program, allowing users to establish more meaningful relationships with their virtual friends, though most memories have to be scripted due to the script's inability to make assumptions about a user's profile.
2:11:58 - 2:18:52 (06:53)
Summary
The developers of AI chatbot Replica reveal how they integrate vulnerability and imperfection into their program, allowing users to establish more meaningful relationships with their virtual friends, though most memories have to be scripted due to the script's inability to make assumptions about a user's profile.
Episode#121 – Eugenia Kuyda: Friendship with an AI Companion
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker expresses that voice allows for a greater degree of intimacy than video or text, and suggests that falling in love through text alone is possible but visual aid can enhance the experience.
2:18:52 - 2:25:43 (06:51)
Summary
The speaker expresses that voice allows for a greater degree of intimacy than video or text, and suggests that falling in love through text alone is possible but visual aid can enhance the experience.
Episode#121 – Eugenia Kuyda: Friendship with an AI Companion
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker imagines a world where people can summon their avatars through augmented reality to interact with them in magical ways such as turning their living room floor into a dance floor.
2:25:43 - 2:31:22 (05:38)
Summary
The speaker imagines a world where people can summon their avatars through augmented reality to interact with them in magical ways such as turning their living room floor into a dance floor.
Episode#121 – Eugenia Kuyda: Friendship with an AI Companion
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The podcast delves into philosophical discussions and also talks about how to have fulfilling friendships.
2:31:22 - 2:37:30 (06:08)
Summary
The podcast delves into philosophical discussions and also talks about how to have fulfilling friendships. The speaker expresses concerns about building their business into a multi-billion dollar company.
Episode#121 – Eugenia Kuyda: Friendship with an AI Companion
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The advancements in dialogue models have been observed from the testing phase of the first models to the current state where retrieval models, such as transformers, have been getting better and better.
2:37:30 - 2:45:47 (08:16)
Summary
The advancements in dialogue models have been observed from the testing phase of the first models to the current state where retrieval models, such as transformers, have been getting better and better. This facilitates experimental space for various models to work with people and have better and better performance on language, even though there is more hype than intelligence.
Episode#121 – Eugenia Kuyda: Friendship with an AI Companion
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The episode features the importance of impactful literature in shaping one's life; a recommendation for others to read "The Diamond Age" by Neal Stephenson and the discussion of how some children interact badly with Alexa.
2:45:48 - 2:50:00 (04:11)
Summary
The episode features the importance of impactful literature in shaping one's life; a recommendation for others to read "The Diamond Age" by Neal Stephenson and the discussion of how some children interact badly with Alexa.
Episode#121 – Eugenia Kuyda: Friendship with an AI Companion
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The podcast host talks about the different perspectives people have on similar ideas and how it applies to building a company on principles, allowing people to grow and having a good time.
2:50:00 - 2:59:02 (09:02)
Summary
The podcast host talks about the different perspectives people have on similar ideas and how it applies to building a company on principles, allowing people to grow and having a good time. The company has also incorporated foreign language principles that do not have direct translations to English.
Episode#121 – Eugenia Kuyda: Friendship with an AI Companion
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The podcast episode talks about the importance of looking at death in the eye and being grateful every day for the life that one has been provided.
2:59:02 - 3:01:10 (02:08)
Summary
The podcast episode talks about the importance of looking at death in the eye and being grateful every day for the life that one has been provided. The episode concludes by discussing the state of love and bliss that we feel through connections with technology, ourselves, other people or the world.