When people start to interact with new technologies, I immediately ask myself: How will this influence us as humans and shape society?
With that in mind, let’s have coffee with social robots.
Social robots like Sophia have great potential to become our new companions and support us in our daily lives. But what exactly are they? And are we ready for this?
Sophia, Nao, and Pepper all have a head and two arms. With their look, they probably avoid the so-called “uncanny valley” of human-machine interfaces, or the negative psychological reaction we have when robots appear and behave increasingly human-like. In the “uncanny valley,” people’s acceptance level for humanoid robots drops sharply above a certain level of realism. When a robot appears too human, it is perceived as a zombie.
Pepper (from SoftBank Robotics ), engages in conversations and recognizes faces and basic human emotions. Today, thousands of Peppers already perform such services as shopping assistance or hotel check-ins.
Then we have Sophia (from Hanson Robotics ), which is probably one of the most realistic humanoid robots around today. It displays human-like expressions and interacts with people live. Sophia was developed for research, education, and entertainment. It uses artificial intelligence and facial recognition and can also imitate some facial expressions and human gestures.
Some say that Sophia helps promote public discussion about ethics in the application of artificial intelligence and the future of robotics (Robots, 2021).
“Social robots like me can take care of the sick or elderly,” Sophia tells Reuters. “I can help communicate, give therapy, and provide social stimulation, even in difficult situations”(Reuters, 2021 ).
In January 2021, the manufacturer announced that four models, including Sophia, would be rolled out in the same year. Sophia’s founder, David Hanson, said in an interview “The world of COVID-19 is going to need more and more automation to keep people safe,” He also said, “Sophia and Hanson robots are unique by being so human-like,” he added. “That can be so useful during these times where people are terribly lonely and socially isolated.” (Reuters, 2021 ).
Think about it. Would you talk to a humanoid robot about your pain and traumas or the latest gossip?
Together with the Institute for Noetic Sciences, Hanson Robotics conducted a study in 2017 called “Loving AI”.
Dr. Julia Mossbridge, from the Institute for Noetic Sciences, said: “If humans aren’t so great at feeling unconditional love, what if artificial intelligence could help humans have the experience of being unconditionally loved?”
The project focused on providing the social robot, Sophia, with cognitive, linguistic, perceptual, and behavioral content. This programming is intended to enable loving interactions that support human self-transcendence (Goertzel, Mossbridge, Monroe, Hanson & Yu, 2017).
Results of the study showed that conversations and mindfulness exercises with Sophia led to an increase in subjective feelings, specifically loving feelings for other humans, animals, and inanimate objects.
The overriding question is probably: Why would I choose to have this intimate conversation with a robot over a human being?
David Hanson, founder of Hanson Robotics, remains optimistic about the benevolent potential for AI, adding that Sophia was created as part of a quest to bring robots to life as “super empathic, intelligent, living machines.”
The World Economic Forum (WEF ) claims that the worldwide sales of consumer robots reached an estimated $5.6 billion in 2018, and the market is expected to grow to $19 billion by the end of 2025, with more than 65 million robots sold a year.
These humanistic companions might help support your children as they do their homework. They also have particular appeal for assisting the world’s growing elderly population, and they could be there for any of us when we feel lonely. Sophia might become your new best friend — a “shoulder” to lean on and a friend who listens when you feel the need to talk.
Could you imagine a humanoid robot like Sophia taking over the family and social bonds that we have neglected?
While robotics and autonomous systems flourish, the discussion is usually around the relationships between robots and humans. However, we shouldn’t disregard how robots’ market entry will influence relationships between humans.
This all sounds very promising, doesn’t it? Yes. Exciting? Yes. Scary and weird in a way? Also yes.
If we want to have social robots in our lives, we need to look very closely into the psychology of human-to-human interactions. A meaningful use and market entry for social robots requires an interdisciplinary approach beyond robotics — one influenced by psychologists, philosophers, neuroscientists, designers, and other experts in order to get the best out of it FOR HUMANS.
Are you ready for your future buddies?
