Tag: articifical intelligence

Love: Humans & Robots

Microsoft engineers in China have created a female chat-bot named  Xiaoice, that about 90 million users have chatted with. Many talk to her on a daily basis and are increasingly seeing her as a human being:

http://asia.nikkei.com/magazine/20170309/Tech-Science/AI-makes-the-heart-grow-fonder

This begs the question of whether humans and robots can (and should) fall in love together. The article quotes experts as having suggested robots will make great companions for the elderly. There was a great film a few years ago called Robot and Frank where Frank Langella’s character receives a robot companion, who becomes his friend and assists him with robbery capers. Ultimately Frank and the Robot prove to be loyal friends who are willing to make self-sacrifices for each other. The movie has other interesting tidbits about the end of public libraries, the death of  physical books. Not unlike a Ray Bradbury story.

 Robot and Frank , a futuristic sci-fi buddy film.

The article linked also goes on to mention about a temple near Tokyo where monks had a funeral for 100 robotic dogs. Many in the procession were crying, and had become very attached to the dogs.

The downside of reliance on robots for socialization is lack of human interaction, thus possibly isolating the client from normal social activity and feedback.

Don’t Marry That Robot!

This sweet looking lady in France has fallen in love with a robot she made. And she is intent on marrying it (once the laws change). She 3d printed it and declines to say if she has sex with it. She doesn’t like the feel of human flesh, and she prefers robots.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4060440/Woman-reveals-love-ROBOT-wants-marry-it.html

love

I am glad that she has found companionship from this robot, and that she is happy. However, I do not think its a good idea for humans to start marrying robots. Some experts are predicting marrying robots will be normal by the end of this century. My view is that we need to keep in mind that technology is a tool, and not an end in itself. Robots and sexbots can be a great tool for people to use to meet their basic needs, and to express themselves in different ways. Personally, I see sexbots as a way for people to broaden their horizons. The important thing is that we are the robot’s masters – they are our slaves. And this relationship must never be inversed. That said, robots are our responsibility. Thus, one must always take good care of their robot.

Its a great thing that this woman has opened up a broader dialogue about what it means to love, as well as the proper role of robot’s in people’s personal lives. In general, I believe the government should stay out of the marriage business in general, and that marriage is a religious function, not a state function.

One thing often overlooked is that having sex is one of the things mother nature gave us the ability to do without spending a bunch of money on consumer crap. Marriage as an economic pact spins that on its head and sex turns into a legal economic document of sorts. and then all the money is spent going to the movies or dinner etc. But in the end that pact still comes back to nookie (if you think about it). Whether its marriage , monogamy, or sexbots – or even porn for that matter – sex turns from something free that mother nature gave us – into a set legal document based duty. If you look at the story in the Garden of Eden it is clear from the onset, that society has been shaped to deprive people of what is free and enjoyable – carefree sex…