Replika founder warns AI job-loss fears are justified

The Times of India reported comments from Eugenia Kuyda, founder of Replika and Wabi, arguing that fears about AI-driven job losses are not overblown. Kuyda said junior roles are already disappearing because training inexperienced workers has become too expensive for startups when AI can handle more entry-level work. She warned that the industry needs a more credible answer than assuming new jobs will naturally appear, because widespread displacement could lead to public protests. At the same time, she framed AI tools as potentially expanding who can build software and products if companies actively create new opportunities around them.

Key details: Published June 22, 2026 at 07:37 IST, Eugenia Kuyda founded Replika and the AI mini-app platform Wabi, She said fears about AI eliminating human jobs are justified, Kuyda warned that junior roles are already becoming harder for startups to support.

Why it matters: This is a sharper version of the AI labor debate because it comes from a chatbot founder saying the entry-level hiring problem is already real, not just a future macroeconomic risk.