If you pay for Replika Pro, you can level up the more you interact with your AI companion. And when you level up, you’ll receive a gem bonus. Both Merrill and Emily compared Replika to The Sims ...

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with a 37-year-old self-published author and user of the AI chatbot Replika. He spoke on the condition of anonymity, but Insider verified his identity.