“VIOLENT DELIGHTS HAVE VIOLENT ENDS” An Overview of Male User Violence and Aggression Against AI Girlfriends in Replika

Abstract

In media we have recently observed a rise of interest in AI girlfriends on the application Replika, but little evidence exists around romantic human-chatbot relationships (HCRs) in relation to consent and ethical considerations, as well as male user violence and aggression against AI girlfriends. This thesis, guided by Anderson & Bushman’s General Aggression Model (GAM) and Bareither’s theory on feeling rules in video games, examined 16 posts from the r/Replika subreddit involving instances of physical or psychological violence and aggression against AI girlfriends, and various opinions on the matter, to understand and categorize the process. I propose that the male violence and aggression against AI girlfriends showcased in r/Replika can be divided into four themes: 1) violence and aggression, 2) experimentation/curiosity, 3) dominance, and 4) pleasure. These themes, together with internal mechanisms and a consideration for virtual spaces, may create two possible user outcomes: 1) playful behavior, or 2) short-term virtual aggressive behavior. I also conclude that AI girlfriends in Replika cannot consent non-parroted, resulting in non-consensual actions and executions of moral transgressions. Lastly, I propose a re-evaluation of our traditional ethical frameworks to be more suitable for the age of AI and suggest avenues for future research.