Artificial Intelligence: Could You Love a Robot?

If I had been living with them and loved them that long (as stated in your first qeustion), than I would have no problem with them not being human.

As to your second qeustion, I would never buy an android/A.I..
In fact I'd be the leader of the group trying to ban the selling of a sencient and setting the ones owned free.

Yes, you would stop loving it, and, you would notice that they are not human through subconscious psyche interaction.
Believe it or not you can tell if something is living by the brains ability to sense harmonised neurons in the other persons head while sexual excitation. Like a magnetic field that syncs - as neurons in brain cause a flow of electrons through empty space to transmit a signal, a magnetic field is made. This is the sub - conscious stimuli to the other human is like confirmation - like a check digit for confirmation of life.
The point of having a loving relationship is for multiplying the species, as for it being an android and loving it, that is not possible, you would most probably feel hatred for it after discovering it was fake and wasting your sexual active life with a dud, as they say "best friends have a bad tendency to turn into worst enemies", in this case the enemy is the android.

Great thread (Y)
Depends how good the android is, if it literally is indistinguishable from a human, ie to the touch,warm,persperates,breathes(even if just for affect), interacts with me just as well (and i mean just as well, not like the androids in AI, if they were human they'd be like retards), learns (making it unique as any of us) and has perfect emotional responses (again even if just for affect) Then yeah I would be able to love it. Oh and also you should be able to select its appearance to any level of detail, thus making it unique in its looks also. If such a android exists i think id choose it over a real person, infact most people would; you could choose its appearance and its general character to your preference AND have the satifaction of some deep protocol of never to break up with you or sleep with someone else, no matter how bad an argument was.
However failure for any of those specifications then it would simply be a toy you'd roll out for a bit of fun when your drunk in all likelihood.

If you consider the fact, that the robot could be so advanced that it would be almost human in all aspects, then yes.

And in the future, a robot made up of entirely lab-made organs (Think Frankenstein, but with good looks and a brain) would that count as a human or a robot? Anyway, if you couldnt see the stitches (...) then yes, again.

Actually as long as it acted/thought/everything exactly as a human and looked like one, then yes. I wouldnt care that it had a metal heart/whatever!

Wow, some different ideas and some great responses.

Originally posted by iori_komei
If I had been living with them and loved them that long (as stated in your first qeustion), than I would have no problem with them not being human.

As to your second question, I would never buy an android/A.I..
In fact I'd be the leader of the group trying to ban the selling of a sentient and setting the ones owned free.

So what would you do if the group you mentioned in your second paragraph came to your house and demanded you "free" your "slave" from the first paragraph.

Originally posted by l_iam
Yes, you would stop loving it, and, you would notice that they are not human through subconscious psyche interaction.
Believe it or not you can tell if something is living by the brains ability to sense harmonised neurons in the other persons head while sexual excitation.

I've felt that I've sensed similar connections to what you speak when in the sack with a person that I love, but not with those I didn't, and they were definitely alive...even if some of them were duds in bed.

Originally posted by picard_is_actually_a_grey
If such a android exists i think id choose it over a real person, infact most people would; you could choose its appearance and its general character to your preference AND have the satisfaction of some deep protocol of never to break up with you or sleep with someone else, no matter how bad an argument was.

But you could argue that the joy that you receive from your partner's interaction with you is because it's unpredictable and unsolicited. If you choose the "very affectionate" personality profile, wouldn't you feel that it was false when presented. You would think, "oh, now this is the affectionate program coming into action." Also regarding the "loyalty" factor, again, maybe trust is only valuable when that person has the option of betraying your trust, yet chooses not to. If your gf/wife has some guy hitting on her but she refuses him and tells you that she would never betray you, how good does that make you feel? But if an android told you that, you'd be like, "Well, of course. You're programmed that way, honey"

Originally posted by Thain Esh Kelch
And in the future, a robot made up of entirely lab-made organs (Think Frankenstein, but with good looks and a brain) would that count as a human or a robot? Anyway, if you couldnt see the stitches (...) then yes, again.

Never thought of that. I guess if the brain was taken from another person, then they would still be that person, assuming all the memories and brain functions were still there from before. Kind of calls to mind a Steve Martin film from ages ago where he fell in love with a brain in a jar and tried to exchange it into the body of his gorgeous but bitchy wife.

What I meant is people who bought them for the purpose of slavery or just for sex and kept them locked up and stuff, I believe that A.Is should have the same rights as us, and that if a person and an AI fall in love that they should be able to be with eachother and not be discriminated agaiinst, unfortunately when this happens the issue will become the new Gay, people will be on both sides for and against and some will try to pass laws, but I dont see this as something that would go on for years.

AI may be advanced enough to replicate human thought patterns/mood swings. Yet even with all the wonderful "Smarts" the robot has I think it'd be hard to "Love". (If that even is the proper term for this.) Though in the future there's a pretty good chance of some nice robotic partners coming on the market. A certain university (which I have forgotten the name of) has developed a "Crude" robot which has the ability to digest simple glucose and expel waste. Only flaw in being the robot can only function for several minutes on the energy it produces. The energy conversion takes roughly 18 hours. This leads to severe down time between uses.
Hopefully this technology will advanced to the point where the robot can eat french fries, a soda and a chicken burger.

A second "Barrier" which prevents robots from taking on physical human traits is skin/muscles. This particular problem is very close to being vanquished by several companies / university's. The US Army has been working on "Clothing sensors" which pick up the soldiers
physical condition while on the battle field. This could easily be switched around to allow the robot to "Feel" it's surroundings. When it comes to muscle, a certain composite material has been developed which expands and contracts when electrically charged. (Very similar to human muscle.) This material has been successfully used to some extent in a "Robotic Shark".

Also humans give off odors/heat/liquids. This too must be accounted for before the robots can really be "Human like". IF (I emphasize just how big an if this is.) IF a robot can walk, talk, lift, eat,feel, and to some extent THINK like a person then I would consider buying one... Certainly allot of technical issues would need to be addressed before a "Realistically Human" robot can be marketed as a domestic product. Certainly if ever sold Humanoid robot sales people and purchasers should be licensed/restricted. The potential for miss-use is extreme with a product of this caliber.

What would be really neat is if you had a humanoid robot which you could neurologically control remotely. Hence Sky diving without the risk, and allowing disabled people to experience some things they never would have a chance to experience.

Though we should look well beyond the possibility of robotic humans becoming our companions. The potential for privacy invasion, destruction of property, public decency,
and essentially the perceived value of life may be at stake. Sure it'd be cool to have a robotic friend, but what happens when they crash? What happens when some one hacks into them?
Could they be used by criminals to commit heinous crimes without a possibility of a human suspect?

I'm really on the fence with this one. Provided the robot met my requirements for being "Realistically Human" it would also need to have a VERY VERY SECURE operating system.
If we have a hard time keeping our computers running during certain errors/hacks/viruses imagine several hundred Human robots running amuck.

Certainly another thing which will need it's own panel of Representatives...
Though I still want one....... For some indescribable reason..... Maybe because..... I could control it's mind...... It'd be like..... My third personality.......... Or something.... ( I really could use a second body to go with my third personality.)

i could love a robot i love my computer a robot isnt much different

I kind of understand that.... Though what are you going to do when the robot hauls off and slaps you for looking at another robot/human? Computers can't hit. Robots of this type have pretty much all the mobility/freedom of movement as humans... Also if a robot can love, can it not also hate? What if your robot decides it doesn't like you any more?

If the humanoid robot also had human intelligence on some levels, it will also have the ability to learn... What happens when the robot learns something "Bad". Obviously the makers of such a product would need to add software safe guards to prevent unwanted behavior..

The "A.L.I.C.E." chat bot is an amusing example of semi human AI.
She does have an annoying habit of repeating some things and misinterpreting. Beyond they few "Minor hiccups" this type of system would have I still think it's ethical. After all it's still 1's and 0's tied into some fancy hardware. I would probably have a funeral for mine if something ever happened to it. I think it would be fairly easy to become attached to such a unit...

[edit on 24-1-2005 by Corkey]

Originally posted by Corkey
I kind of understand that.... Though what are you going to do when the robot hauls off and slaps you for looking at another robot/human? Computers can't hit. Robots of this type have pretty much all the mobility/freedom of movement as humans... Also if a robot can love, can it not also hate? What if your robot decides it doesn't like you any more?

If the humanoid robot also had human intelligence on some levels, it will also have the ability to learn... What happens when the robot learns something "Bad". Obviously the makers of such a product would need to add software safe guards to prevent unwanted behavior..

The "A.L.I.C.E." chat bot is an amusing example of semi human AI.
She does have an annoying habit of repeating some things and misinterpreting. Beyond they few "Minor hiccups" this type of system would have I still think it's ethical. After all it's still 1's and 0's tied into some fancy hardware. I would probably have a funeral for mine if something ever happened to it. I think it would be fairly easy to become attached to such a unit...

[edit on 24-1-2005 by Corkey]

these are very good points yjay will have to be worked out be for we give robot the ability to think for themselfs

The more I think about it, Having a humanoid robot unit you could neurologically control would be funner. Mostly for the effect you could do allot of things and "Feel" the feedback without endangering yourself. Which leads to more of a "Freedom without responsibility" issue. Also being my vision is slightly off (Nothing lasic couldn't fix) I am also borderline color blind to R/G. (Never was ruled out clearly.) If there was any way in the world to see absolutely true color/seamless vision I think a high quality camera could do it. Then have this information transfered from the robot to me neurologically... Though I'd settle for a Humanoid AI robot... Provided I could alter the personality.

it would be cool to have some one like "data" from star trek tng around

it would be amazingly difficult to program it well enough to make you believe that it is indeed a robot. a creation of man, we create are own children and we love them so yes of course its possible to love a robot, especially if it is a cute robot.





[edit on 24-1-2005 by sturod84]

After having given this a few days thought I realized, If i came home from a hard days work, weary to the bone and found the house clean, the lawn mowed, bills payed and a good looking lady robot waiting to rub my back after a wonderful meal it had cooked and cap the night off with good sex and afterwards, I COULD JUST TURN IT OFF!

Yea, I could fall in love with that, Hell, I'd marry her in a heartbeat.

Just one more reason I plan in reincarnating....This I gotta see : )

Love and light to each of you,

Wupy

Originally posted by mrwupy
After having given this a few days thought I realized, If i came home from a hard days work, weary to the bone and found the house clean, the lawn mowed, bills payed and a good looking lady robot waiting to rub my back after a wonderful meal it had cooked and cap the night off with good sex and afterwards, I COULD JUST TURN IT OFF!

If it was like that then I would be in Love

I have to say though after building a few robots I do grow attached to them You put alot effort & money into them and when you power them up and they work its a good feeling.

Nothing like the love for a women but perhaps something simliar to a pet.

Sure, why not? I married one.

But I'd definitely upgrade every decade or so.

The Cherry 2000 was all the rage in the 80's but can you imagine being seen with one now?


The real question is... could you love a War Ship?


And how!

How about Cherry 2000? C'mon, I'm not the only one that remembers the 80's...

Originally posted by mrwupy
After having given this a few days thought I realized, If i came home from a hard days work, weary to the bone and found the house clean, the lawn mowed, bills payed and a good looking lady robot waiting to rub my back after a wonderful meal it had cooked and cap the night off with good sex and afterwards, I COULD JUST TURN IT OFF!

Yea, I could fall in love with that, Hell, I'd marry her in a heartbeat.

Just one more reason I plan in reincarnating....This I gotta see : )

Love and light to each of you,

Wupy

Originally posted by sexygeek
i could love a robot i love my computer a robot isnt much different

Thats isnt love, thats just caring a lot for a thing.

Originally posted by RANT
The real question is... could you love a War Ship?


And how!

Again, no, you cant love a starship. Think of an old sailor which has lived his intire life on the seas with his boat. (Pick your favorite captain Long John) Its love yes, but he is probably not 'in love' with it!

Originally posted by sexygeek
it would be cool to have some one like "data" from star trek tng around

Personally I'd take 7 of 9 above Data any day!

I think the only way to even conceivably do something like this within (on an off chance) our lifetimes, though more likely the lifetimes of our children, would be to further develop cloning tech and stem cell research, and start on a project along the lines of the NEXUS project from Bladerunner. If something like that was able to be accomplished, it would in fact be, for all intents and purposes, human. Bodilly functions would be accurate, it could learn, express real emotion, etc. In theory, if genetic research had progressed that far, you could also pre-program certain traits into the creatures (I hesitate in calling them robots, since they are actually biological in nature, just man-made), make them resistant or immune to diseases (at least ones that we know how to control), etc.

I suppose sort of like Bladerunner's NEXUS series meets Gattaca.

Originally posted by obsidian468
I think the only way to even conceivably do something like this within (on an off chance) our lifetimes, though more likely the lifetimes of our children, would be to further develop cloning tech and stem cell research, and start on a project along the lines of the NEXUS project from Bladerunner. If something like that was able to be accomplished, it would in fact be, for all intents and purposes, human. Bodilly functions would be accurate, it could learn, express real emotion, etc.

I suppose sort of like Bladerunner's NEXUS series meets Gattaca.

Bladrerunner kind of explored the issues that Corkey was talking about; that if the android can learn good traits, it can also learn bad ones. Otherwise, it wouldn't be human-like at all. Could it be that if your android partner NEVER did anything wrong or bad, that you wouldn't be able to form a connection with him/her, and that they would still seem (excuse the pun) robotic?

I still think that free will is what makes us human and what makes us able to love someone. You won't be able to feel more than a physical, or a co-dependency connection with something/one unless you know that what they give to you and do for you is completely of their own free will. Otherwise it will have no real value for you, just as you don't love your dishwasher because it does a chore for you. But if your dishwasher had personality, argued politics with you, and sometimes refused to do the dishes because you weren't nice to it, you might actually be able to form a real friendship with it... gee, sounds like a Jim Carrie film plot.