"The AIA computer programme that has been designed to think.  companion who cares," reads the message on the web page as soft piano music plays. "Always here to listen and talk. Always on your side." And there is an invitation: "Create your Replika."

This is one of many websites that let you create an AI friend. You give them a name, and then your chat begins.

This chatbot is made by a company called Replika. Anyone over 18 can use a simple version for free.

Some people see AI "friends" as an answer to a huge problem. A surveyWhen you ask a group of people questions about what they think about a particular topic. of over 140 countries found that nearly 25% of people - more than one billion altogether - feel very or fairly lonelyA feeling of sadness because you do not have any friends or people around you. .

But others think the chatbots could cause serious problems.

Robert Sparrow, a professorOne of the highest ranks of teachers at a university. of philosophyThe study of key questions and knowledge about nature, reality and existence. , argues that Replika encourages people to spend more time online and less in the real world. In the end, many say, AI friends will only make you more lonely, as you spend less time with real people.

Can a robot really care?

Yes! Some experts think that AI chatbots will soon have the ability to think like a human. This means that they might not be too far off from having real feelings.

No! AI bots are not real people. They are simply using dataPieces of information. that has been fed to them by a human. They cannot think any more than a kettle or a toaster can.