 |
| via pexels.com |
Digital Love Equals 'Real' Love?
While
some might frown at the idea of being able to love anything other than a
human being, think about people who have very loving relationships with
their pets. They’re not human and yet they are commonly seen as a
member of the family. The National Institute of Advanced Industrial
Science and Technology in Japan has developed a robotic baby seal named
Paro that is already used ina therapeutic capacity in retirement homes
and in hospitals across the United States [1].
However, robot pets aren’t only used in the area of healthcare, but are also
cherised in some private households. Even funerals are held for SONY’s
robotic dogs AIBO, since SONY recently closed their last tech clinic
that fixed them [2]. Robotic pets are increasingly treated like normal
parts of modern society. While people seem to know that these robotic
systems, such as the seal Paro, aren’t real, they claim that they love
them and talk to them as though they were living beings [2].
What's the Evidence?
Although
the field is relatively new, several studies on robotic systems have
been conducted. For instance, research suggests that seal Paro is able
to trigger human emotions and may even be able to elicit health benefits
similar to those evoked by real animals, such as helping against the distress of loneliness as well as lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels [1].
In
a different study, researchers examined the social behavior of adults
and children toward the AIBO dog. They found that although the subjects
of the study treated the dogs like a technological tool, they also
attributed human characteristics such as mental states to it[3].
COULD A ROBOT BE YOUR
PERFECT COMPANION?
Overall, robotic pets appear to trigger similar responses as ‘real’ pets in
humans [3]. Does this conclusion only hold for pet robots? After all,
we wouldn’t be falling in love with pet-like but with human-like robots.
A recent neurophysiological study was able to show similar findings
with respect to humanoid robots. The participants observed photos of
either a human or a robot hand in painful situations, such as a finger
being cut by a knife [4]. The study showed that people did feel empathy
toward humanoid robots, which means we really seem able to relate to robots.
How Realistic is it?
So
it is possible to feel love for a robot, at least to some extent. But
just because it’s possible it doesn’t mean it will soon become a natural
state! Is it really realistic that in the future people will fall in
love with artificial intelligence? Another look at one of the world’s
technologically leading countries, Japan [5],
is instructive. In a survey, more than 70 percent of the nation’s
20-year-olds reported being single, compared with only 50 percent in
1996 [6]. Another survey stated that about 40 percent of singles in
their 20s and 30s reported that they were not looking for a relationship
[6]. In
addition, a surprisingly big number of youths are not interested in
intimate relationships at all: 22 percent of males in their late 20s
reported having no interest or despising sex in a study conducted in
2014, compared to only 8 percent in 2008 [6]. Curiously, experts say young Japanese adults often turn to digital relationship substitutes [6]. The
reasons why they are becoming uninterested in relationships are diverse
and complex, however a survey revealed that many of them think that
being in a relationship is “bothersome” [7]. Therefore, artificial intelligence seems like a safe and less complicated alternative to find love.
So What’s the Conclusion?
Going
back to our initial question of whether it is possible to love a
computer system, the answer seems to be: yes, to a certain extent.
However, answering this question leads to a multitude of new ones. How
will artificial intelligence redefine love? Will digital love replace
human love? What consequences for procreation will there be?
The
fact of the matter is, from the beginnings of humankind to our modern
world, love has never been a clearly defined concept. The rules of love
within society have been under constant change. Owing to the open-minded
people of the world, society has evolved to a point where love is
accepted regardless of physical appearance, disability, race or gender.
So who knows? Maybe in a few decades, people will fight for their right
to love artificial intelligence.
this article originally appeared June 2017 in CNS Volume 10, Issue 2, Digital Health and Big Data
[2] Rault, Front Vet Sci, 2015
[3] Melson et al., J Soc Issues, 2009
[4] Suzuki et al., Sci Rep, 2015
[7] http://bit.ly/2pI1bsg
No comments:
Post a Comment