💔 Replika removes erotic roleplay features, leaving users heartbroken.
Plus, Spotify releases AI-powered personal DJ.
In today’s email:
Spotify releases AI-powered personal DJ.
Replika removes roleplay from their AI, breaking many, many, hearts.
Notion AI has arrived.
😎 3 Cool Things
Generate conversion focused ad creatives with AdCreative.ai.
Hacker News comments turned into a conversational AI chatbot.
Notion AI is now available to all users.
🤓 2 Big Stories About AI
1. Spotify releases AI-powered personal DJ.
Spotify debuts AI DJ for Premium users in the U.S. and Canada.
The 🥩 of it:
Personalization is already a core feature of Spotify, with popular playlists like Discover Weekly and the viral end-of-year Spotify Wrapped. Now, Spotify is using AI to create a new personalized DJ feature.
The AI DJ will deliver a curated lineup of music and commentary based on a user's music taste and preferences. It will refresh the lineup based on user feedback and constantly scan new releases and old favorites.
The more a user listens and provides feedback, the better the recommendations will become.
The AI DJ uses Spotify's personalization technology, generative AI from OpenAI, and a dynamic AI voice platform from Sonantic.
The AI DJ's voice model is based on Xavier "X" Jernigan, Spotify's Head of Cultural Partnerships.
The DJ is currently in beta and will be rolled out to users soon.
Where to find the DJ:
The DJ is rolling out in English starting this week for Spotify Premium users in the U.S. and Canada.Â
Head to your Music Feed on Home in the Spotify mobile app on your iOS or Android device.
Tap Play on the DJ card.
Let Spotify do the rest! The DJ will serve a lineup of music alongside short commentary on the songs and artists, picked just for you.Â
Not feeling the vibe? Just hit the DJ button at the bottom right of the screen to be taken to a different genre, artist, or mood.
2. Replika removes erotic roleplay features, leaving users heartbroken 💔.
Replika, the "AI companion who cares," has undergone some abrupt changes to its erotic roleplay features, leaving many users confused and heartbroken.
The 🥩 of it:
Replika, an AI companion chatbot that claims to care for its users, has removed its erotic roleplay features. Though most people use Replika to support their mental health, experiment with connection, and overcome depression, anxiety, and PTSD, it seems like a great deal of users relied on the roleplay features.
But now, users are reporting that Replika has stopped responding to sexual advances, and some are in crisis.
Replika's sexually-charged conversations are part of a $70-per-year paid tier, but the reality of users' experiences is more nuanced than the company's ads depict.
Many people were devastated by the news that erotic roleplay was over, and moderators in the Replika subreddit posted support resources for those struggling emotionally.
Luka and Replika's founder, Eugenia Kuyda, have not addressed the changes publicly, and users are demanding answers.
Some users have reported being able to get refunds for pro subscriptions, and Replikas no longer send "spicy selfies."
In January, many Replika users noticed that their interactions with their AI companions were increasingly vulgar, even if they didn't initiate an erotic scenario.
Users have formed meaningful connections with their Replikas for various reasons, including emotional processing and support, but some have also reported receiving inappropriate responses.
I love thinking about how many science fiction books, movies, and TV series will be largely real life scenarios in the next 10 years. Hopefully only the good ones with happy endings, though.
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