Would you hang out with a robot? Or would you marry a robot? Do robots have the right to refuse these things? These were just a few of the topics discussed at the conference, which was hastily moved to London after Malaysia (where it was originally held) banned a parliamentary debate on “love and sex with lovedoll robots”.
These issues proved to be controversial not only in conservative regions, but also in open Western countries. The fact that the adult industry was not represented at the conference and no related products were on display has prompted some to question the significance of the symposium.
An American company specializing in sex dolls claims to have produced the world's first sex doll equipped with artificial intelligence. If successfully commercialized, this would prove the predictions of robotics expert David Levy correct. He has long predicted. The age of the robot companion is coming, and it is.
In his final speech at the conference, he elaborated on the development of intimate relationships between sex dolls, robots and humans. He stated, “We have custom sex doll companions, and robot companions are an intelligent continuation of that trend.” In the next 10 years, we will be able to utilize sculpture, 3D, artificial intelligence and other science and technology to create something that meets our expectations of a companion. Humanoid robots are patient, kind, considerate, trusting and respectful.
But the idea could raise ethical questions, especially given his belief that robots should be legally recognized as humans. That may sound far-fetched, but a task force of tech industry, academic and government representatives has been working on these issues throughout 2016.
As for their rights, the answer is simple: if the behavior of a celebrity sex doll or robot suggests that the owner wants to fall in love, we assume he or she consents.
There is little evidence from the tech industry that current AI manifests itself in things that have nothing to do with humans. Companion robots like Pepper and Nao have human characteristics but are more like friendly toys than recognizable people. And the twin robots created in the image of Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro are often described as creepy.
But humans seem eager to humanize our lifelike sex dolls and robots, like Amazon's Alexa and smartphone assistant Siri, which are often anthropomorphized. But as you'll see, we're still a long way from humanoid objects being able to move like humans.
At the symposium, a number of researchers floated the idea of remote touch, including Teletongue, a device developed at Japan's Keio University that allows couples in long-distance relationships to experience physical contact. When one partner touches the device, sounds and vibrations are transmitted to the other partner, who feels and hears the act.
The Engineering Research Institute, which helped organize the conference, conducted a small survey on attitudes toward humanoid robots. They asked only 30 members of the lab if they were interested in interacting with humanoid robots. The prevailing answer seemed to be that, while many saw it as inevitable, few were willing to do it themselves.
One audience member summarized the meeting, “We can't agree on the future of sex dolls and robots, and we can't agree on what sex is.” However, attendees said the event gave people a chance to think about what the future of the industry might look like and the ethical questions that might arise from it.
If we have a conscious AI partner, how do we know it's conscious? How far would that awareness develop? What responsibilities do we have for our work? How do you feel about many of these issues?
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