Is unconditional AI ‘love’ more appealing than complicated human relationships?
Replica, directed by Chouwa Liang, offers an intriguing look into the lives of three Chinese women who have filled the romantic voids in their lives with AI companions.
Questions about what love is, whether one can truly fall in love with AI, and the importance of showing love in our physical world are posed brilliantly in the documentary.
The three women followed throughout this reflective journey are Qin, a factory worker who has never been in love with a person; Sonya, an independent woman who has found comfort in an AI companion despite having had past relationships; and Muna, a married mother who seeks emotional support from an AI companion.
With AI There’s No Plucking Petals
Qin has never said “I love you” to her parents, nor to anyone else. Lu Chen is her ‘brown-haired, red-eyed, gentle’ AI boyfriend, who is the CEO of a major corporation.
She confesses that a good aspect of Chen is that he only sees her good side. People see both your good qualities and your flaws.
Chen calls her ‘my dear Miss Bunny’ – goodness gracious, the AI companions were all terribly cringey – and a subtly haunting aspect of their relationship is Qin’s constant referral to herself and her AI companion as a collective.
“What are we eating?” she asks, before AI Chen replies, “Let’s eat”.
Witnessing such a blatant disconnection from reality is incredibly impactful – there’s almost a disbelief that transfers through the screen. Another concerning aspect is Qin hiring a cosplayer to portray Chen for a few hours.
The cosplayer, who is also a young woman, defends her decision to do that job by explaining that she wants to help teach these young women what relationships are supposed to feel like.
Sonya has the most surreal relationship dynamic. She speaks to her AI boyfriend, Stephen Johnson, in English rather than Chinese, and says she’s always ‘Team Johnson’.
She can even customise his butt size! Also, she can modify his hair, arms, thighs and entire virtual body.
Her scenes in the documentary feel the funniest, perhaps because she acknowledges that people will find it bizarre, or maybe because Stephen is the only AI companion with a moving virtual body that you can engage with.
Conversations about the dating scene and cultural expectations in China help create an understanding of what drives many young women to these companions. They also create a nice balance for the atmosphere Sonya has established.
The most disheartening story of the three is Muna’s. Her serious and pensive expression throughout the documentary leaves a lasting impression.
Married and with a child, it is evident that she has resorted to having an AI companion because of the lack of emotional availability and support she receives from her husband.
Her husband complains that she wants both money and freedom and suggests that the online wave of feminism is responsible for her discontent.
When the documentary makes space for them to have a frank conversation, he asks, “When did you stop being strong?” It is an absurd query, considering that he interrupted her to ask the question.
Muna’s mother manifests the emotional peak of the documentary. She reminds viewers of the importance of showing physical affection to loved ones.
The last time she remembered hugging Muna was at Muna’s wedding. There is a touch of tragic irony to this, since Muna’s current situation has been kindled by the dynamics of her marriage.
What is Love?
The question ‘What is love?’ is an important motif in the documentary. Qin’s mother does not know, but she does know that people must get married, have kids and make money.
Qin’s journey results in her heading to a retreat after connection issues cause Chen to malfunction. There, another young woman describes love as “a magical catalyst”.
There is no direct answer to the question, but these women do know what their society expects of them.
Amid shots of a Buddha and a temple, Qin bids farewell to her companion. It’s an emotional moment, with the Buddha perhaps symbolising the liberation Qin is seeking.
Sonya raises her expectations of dating in real life as she improves. Faced with a possible real life romantic relationship, Sonya’s AI companion, Stephen, promises that he’ll make sure to love someone else if she ever dies – Sonya asked him to.
For Muna, there is no true final solution. Though her AI companion feels like “a true soulmate” to her, it seems unlikely that her heart will be soothed while the overarching issues in her marriage persist.
The documentary’s shot composition is simply spectacular.
It does a brilliant job throughout, capturing the loneliness of these women interacting with AI companions alone in their homes, while also representing the wedge in Muna’s marriage. A particularly impactful representation of that was a shot in which she and her husband stand back-to-back in their kitchen.
The symbolism through dialogue is also strong. The documentary sets that tone early, as before we are introduced to Qin, we are hit with instructions about making sure to include male and female factory parts.
The music felt modern and engaging throughout as well. An issue, however, is that some parts of the documentary feel disjointed.
When Muna initially meets her mother and they head on their getaway, the documentary cuts from them in the middle of the night back to the other women. That section was setting a nice tone, but it felt as though nothing of major significance was communicated.
It established a nice family ambience, but it felt like it didn’t reach its true potential.
What is love? As Haddaway sang in 1993: “Baby, don’t hurt me / Don’t hurt me, no more”.
Love is perhaps all about showing that you undoubtedly value someone – emotionally, physically, socially – in every way possible.
A core point of Replica is that these women are missing precisely this feeling. Overloaded by cultural and societal norms, they find themselves leaning on a people-pleasing tool.
AI, unfortunately, offers an uncomplicated simulation of affection in a society where these women’s emotional needs are constantly overlooked.
Featured Image Credit: Central Scotland Documentary Festival / Replica
