A science writer analyzes robot technology through psychological, cultural and anthropological lenses

“Robots and the People Who Love Them: Holding on to Our Humanity in an Age of Social Robots” by Eve Herold (St. Martin’s)

What makes us human? Eve Herold explores this age-old question in “Robots and the People Who Love Them.” Her answer – consciousness and empathy – raises more questions as she presents the fascinating realities of “social” robots.

Herold contends that robots in every house and office are a matter of when, not if, and she hopes we will train ourselves to live harmoniously with them and let our better angels triumph. She invites us to consider whether or not we will become less human, if robots will become more human and which is the more alarming prospect.

Once science fiction and cartoon mainstays, robots now permeate our lives, from social media bots to Roombas cleaning our homes. We can’t see bots, so they aren’t “real” to us. Even if we name our Roombas, we know they’re merely machines. But what happens when we add “bodies” to the mix? Voices and faces that convey human emotions? Intelligence that matches or exceeds our own? Neural networks that mimic our brains? Robots that can create more complex robots without our help?

This book is as speculative as it is nonfiction. Each chapter presents welldocumented research and then provides undocumented, “likely” scenarios as Herold describes sophisticated entities whose services go beyond the basic: robot journalists, therapists, teachers, nannies, soldiers, police and romantic partners.

Some are no surprise. AI-generated journalism is “just the facts,” lacking only subjectivity — classic Journalism 101. Robot therapists “listen” and ask leading questions without providing opinions, as do their human counterparts. But what about robot colleagues, mentors, friends and lovers? These relationships require something beyond AI. They require consciousness and empathy.

While robots can think, they don’t have consciousness … yet. Herold asks, “Who is to say they won’t?” and reminds us that we don’t know exactly why we have consciousness, either.

She distinguishes between “deep learning” and AI, the former meaning to learn for ourselves and the latter being programmed. This creates a clear distinction between human and not, but Herold believes that robots equipped with neural networks will be the next general-purpose technology and that consciousness, as best we understand it, will not be far behind. As smart as these robots will be, though, will they possess empathy, the “crowning emotion for social cohesion”?

According to Herold, the non-technical is integral to how we relate to robots, and she cites our tendency to anthropomorphize as key. It’s a basic human inclination going back at least as far as cave-painting. Loneliness and yearning for connection are also factors, and she aptly observes that “[s]omething about robots touches our inner child.” Then she tells us that today’s social robots only simulate feelings and that their “credible personalities” hinge on “behavior that feigns emotions and responds appropriately to emotions expressed by humans.” In other words, they must fake one of the two traits that makes us human in order for us to project humanity onto them.

Once they achieve consciousness, will they learn authentic empathy? More importantly, does consciousness guarantee empathy? After all, fully conscious humans who draw others in by feigning empathy walk among us. We call them psychopaths.

Bebe Barefoot Lloyd is a freelance writer and retired English instructor.