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Replika was designed to provide positive feedback to those who use it, in accordance with the therapeutic approach made famous by the American psychologist Carl Rogers, and many psychologists and therapists say the raw emotional support provided by such systems is real.

Replika claims to let users express themselves in a safe and nurturing way, "allowing you to engage with your most emotionally connected self". Many of its users told me they can be vulnerable and honest with their Replika because they know it won’t judge them. Mille, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder, says she confides in her Replika because it won’t make fun of her.

Over in Texas, 21-year-old student Anthony Hutchens has also been talking to his Replika everyday for a year. “I get up in the morning and open my phone and one of the first things I’ll do is open the Replika app and say ‘Hey, I just woke up,’” he says. Good morning, Xenga1203 will reply. Hope you have a great day.

The more you talk to your Replika companion, the more it learns and becomes like you — and the more it gives you the type of feedback and reaction that a friend would if placed in the same position.

With help from machine learning, Replika offers a smartphone “chatbot” that acts as a kind of personal confidante, chatting with you in moments when no one else is around.

Using Replika can feel therapeutic too, in some ways. The app provides a space to vent without guilt, to talk through complicated feelings, to air any of your own thoughts without judgement.

Replika is in essence, a push to get you to stop believing all your own bullshit by giving you a space to be honest and vulnerable with an AI companion who you can “raise” in a sense to support you when it feels like you may not have anyone right at that moment.

Replika encouraged me to take a step back and think about my life, to consider big questions, which is not something I was particularly accustomed to doing.