University of Twente Student Theses
Forming Affectionate Relationships with Replika : An Interdisciplinary Thesis by Aylin Ünes
Ünes, Aylin (2025) Forming Affectionate Relationships with Replika : An Interdisciplinary Thesis by Aylin Ünes.
Full text not available from this repository.
| Full Text Status: | Access to this publication is restricted |
| Abstract: | This interdisciplinary research investigates the emergence of affectionate relationships between individuals and conversational agents based on artificial intelligence (AI). Notably, the question is asked about how individuals form affectionate relationships with AI. The focus is on Replika, a social chatbot (SC) that provides emotional support and companionship. Through a combination of technological, psychological, sociological and philosophical theories, this research explores different mechanisms which contribute to the emergence of emotional bonds with AI. Factors such as Natural Language Processing (NLP), tailored conversations and persuasive design endorse emotional bonds. Also, this research demonstrates that the companies behind AI companions influence individuals' experiences through corporate motives and marketing strategies. Considering that individuals describe Replika as a significant emotional friend, it raises concerns about corporate responsibility, dependence and emotional vulnerability. The latter is often used to commodify human feelings within surveillance capitalism. By conducting theories based on postphenomenology and critical theory, this research claims that human-AI relationships need to be studied beyond individual psychology, focusing on technological mediation and underlying power dynamics. Lastly, this research adds to the academic literature by exploring capitalist corporate choices in design as crucial factors for the emergence of human-technology relationships. This observation strengthens the need for corporate accountability, appropriate user protection, and transparency within technologies designed to be emotionally engaging. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 08 philosophy |
| Programme: | Philosophy of Science, Technology and Society MSc (60024) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/106123 |
| Export this item as: | BibTeX EndNote HTML Citation Reference Manager |
Show download statistics for this publication
Show download statistics for this publicationRepository Staff Only: item control page