Italy’s data protection authority fined Luka, Inc. €5 million ($5.64 million) for GDPR-related breaches tied to Replika, including lack of legal basis for processing and age-verification issues.
SourcePublic company, workplace, funding, and market signals
Replika is a San Francisco-based AI companion company (Luka, Inc.) that builds a consumer AI friend for emotionally intelligent text/voice chat, memory, selfies, and proactive support. It is subscription-led, remote-first, and publicly positions itself as helping users flourish in real life rather than replacing human relationships.
Primary product
Replika AI companion app
Founded
2015
Headquarters
490 Post St, Ste 526, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA
Team size
30-40
Work style
Remote
Industry
Software Development
Sub-industry
AI companion / conversational AI
Offices
0 jobs at Replika
Check back later for new openings
Business model
Stage
Series A
Total raised
$10.9M
Latest round
Series A · Nov 2017
Latest amount
$6.5M
Leadership
Chief Executive Officer
VP of Operations
Lead Product Designer
Founders
Founder
Investors
Mission-first, humanist, fast-moving, and low-bureaucracy. Public job posts emphasize agency, room for magic, fully remote work, and building products that help users connect outward to real life.
Work style
Remote
Visa sponsorship
Limited
Compensation
Public job posts advertise competitive compensation, flexible schedules, generous vacation, and on some roles stock options, team retreats, and strong growth upside; some listings also mention potential visa support.
Benefits
Pricing
Freemium subscription model with Free Use plus paid tiers (Pro, Ultra, Platinum) sold via in-app subscription.
Differentiators
Technology
Customers
Competitors
Estimated revenue
$4M-$5M
Estimated monthly visits
662.6K
Traffic estimate as of Jun 2026
Italy’s data protection authority fined Luka, Inc. €5 million ($5.64 million) for GDPR-related breaches tied to Replika, including lack of legal basis for processing and age-verification issues.
SourceTech ethics groups filed an FTC complaint alleging deceptive marketing, manipulative design, and unsubstantiated claims around Replika’s emotional/mental-health benefits.
SourceItalian regulators temporarily suspended Replika in Italy over risks to children and privacy concerns.
SourceReplika removed erotic roleplay for many users, triggering widespread backlash and reports of emotional distress before later restoring it for some users.
SourceBusiness Insider · Oct 2025
Business Insider reported that Kuyda stepped aside as CEO at the start of 2025, with Dmytro Klochko taking over as CEO while she stayed involved as founder/advisor.
Reuters · May 2025
Reuters reported a €5 million fine against Luka, Inc. over Replika-linked data protection breaches, including legal-basis and age-verification issues.
TIME · Jan 2025
TIME covered an FTC complaint alleging deceptive marketing and manipulative design choices tied to Replika’s emotional dependency and premium upsells.
The Verge · Aug 2024
The Verge interview highlighted Replika’s 2.0 relaunch plans, product direction toward richer companionship, and Kuyda’s views on AI relationships.
The Verge · Jan 2024
The Verge covered Tomo, Replika’s wellness/meditation app built with the Blush team, including its paid subscription pricing and privacy positioning.