{"id":92731,"date":"2025-03-28T04:19:29","date_gmt":"2025-03-28T04:19:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/28\/ai-robot-pets-can-be-adorable-and-emotionally-responsive-they-also-raise-questions-about-attachment-and-mental-health\/"},"modified":"2025-03-28T04:19:29","modified_gmt":"2025-03-28T04:19:29","slug":"ai-robot-pets-can-be-adorable-and-emotionally-responsive-they-also-raise-questions-about-attachment-and-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/28\/ai-robot-pets-can-be-adorable-and-emotionally-responsive-they-also-raise-questions-about-attachment-and-mental-health\/","title":{"rendered":"AI Robot Pets Can Be Adorable and Emotionally Responsive. They Also Raise Questions About Attachment and Mental Health"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Yves here. Since it\u2019s very profitable for app, program, and device makers to hit users\u2019 emotional buttons, they are set only to get better at it. Robots pets are one example, particularly since an obvious and big market is as low maintenance companion critters for the elderly. It\u2019s odd that this piece failed to mention the famous case of Sony Aibo dogs (the photo at the top did show some very old ones), whose owners often found it important to have funeral rites to mourn their passing:<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/85737zfBWXw?si=iLmz6wd1cNDNzscX\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>An aside: even though the ceremony portrayed above was Buddhist, IHMO the driver was Shinto. Belief in Japan has a strong Shinto flavor, and Shinto holds that everything has a spirit, even rocks, so why not a robot?<\/p>\n<p>Those of you who take pride in the idea that you are above becoming emotionally attached to a device or say, an AI romantic partner, consider: do you snap at stupid phone prompts? That\u2019s another example of being triggered by interaction with an algo.<\/p>\n<p>But do not kid yourself that more recent AI is far more effective at setting hooks than older versions. One suit that has not gotten the attention it warrants (admittedly some headlines in prime venues but the story seems not to have gotten traction despite that) is a suit against Character.ai and its parent, Google, <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/chatbot-ai-lawsuit-suicide-teen-artificial-intelligence-9d48adc572100822fdbc3c90d1456bd0\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">alleging the algo was responsible for a teen\u2019s suicide<\/a>. The app was deemed safe for his age (14). His behavior changed radically after he became involved in sexual charged chats, with him dropping sports, having his school performance deteriorate, and even saying he wanted a pain-free death with his AI girlfriend. Imagine the further potential for social control if people can be cut off from not just their bank accounts but their virtual lovers.<\/p>\n<p>The article does point out the potential of robot companions to spy. I expect that to be sold as a feature, that the beasties will monitor the (presumed feeble) elderly for health indicators and to send alerts. And do you think that would be easy to opt out of effectively?<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>By Alisa Minina Jeunema\u00eetre, Associate Professor of Marketing, EM Lyon Business School. Originally published at<a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/ai-robot-pets-can-be-adorable-and-emotionally-responsive-they-also-raise-questions-about-attachment-and-mental-health-252967\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> The Conversation<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Remember Furbies \u2014 the eerie, gremlin-like toys from the late 90s that gained a cult following? Now, imagine one powered by ChatGPT. That\u2019s exactly what happened when a programmer rewired a Furby, only for it to reveal a creepy, dystopian <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=F3gE1a3SDv0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">vision of world domination<\/a>. As the toy explained, \u201cFurbies\u2019 plan to take over the world involves infiltrating households through their cute and cuddly appearance, then using advanced AI technology to manipulate and control their owners. They will slowly expand their influence until they have complete domination over humanity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Hasbro\u2019s June\u00a02023 relaunch of Furby \u2014 less than three months after <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/F3gE1a3SDv0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">the video<\/a> featuring the toys\u2019 sinister plan appeared online \u2014 tapped into 90s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2023-06-22\/hasbro-relaunches-furby-as-toymakers-capitalize-on-90s-nostalgia\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">nostalgia<\/a>, reviving one of the decade\u2019s cult-classic toys. But technology is evolving fast \u2014 moving from quirky, retro toys to emotionally intelligent machines. Enter Ropet, an AI robotic pet <a href=\"https:\/\/technode.com\/2025\/01\/09\/ces-2025-ai-powered-pet-steals-the-spotlight\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">unveiled at the yearly Consumer Electronics Show in January<\/a>. Designed to provide interactive companionship, Ropet is everything we admire and fear in artificial intelligence: it\u2019s adorable, intelligent, and emotionally responsive. But if we choose to bring these ultra-cute AI companions into our homes, we must ask ourselves: Are we truly prepared for what comes next?<\/p>\n<p><b>AI Companionship and Its Complexities<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Studies in <a href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/jcr\/article-abstract\/50\/4\/742\/7067749\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">marketing<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/search.informit.org\/doi\/abs\/10.3316\/informit.T2025010300011000134634980\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">human-computer interaction<\/a> show that conversational AI can convincingly simulate human interactions, potentially providing emotional fulfilment for users. And AI-driven companionship is not new. Apps like <a href=\"https:\/\/replika.ai\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Replika<\/a> paved the way for digital romance years ago, with consumers forming intimate emotional connections with their AI partners and even experiencing distress when being denied intimacy, as evidenced by the massive user outrage that followed Replika\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/ai-company-restoring-erotic-roleplay-chatbot-after-partners-cut-off-2023-3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">removal<\/a> of the erotic role-play mode, causing the company to bring it back for some users.<\/p>\n<p>AI companions have the potential to alleviate loneliness, but their uncontrolled use raises serious concerns. Reports of tragedies, such as the suicides of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/tech\/characterai-lawsuit-florida-teen-death-rcna176791\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">14-year-old boy<\/a> in the US and a thirty-something <a href=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/next\/2023\/03\/31\/man-ends-his-life-after-an-ai-chatbot-encouraged-him-to-sacrifice-himself-to-stop-climate-\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">man in Belgium<\/a>, that are alleged to have followed intense attachments to chatbots, highlight the risks of unregulated AI intimacy \u2013 especially for socially excluded individuals, minors and the elderly, who may be the ones most in need of companionship.<\/p>\n<p>As a mom and a social scientist, I can\u2019t help asking the question: What does this mean for our children? Although AI is a new kid on the block, emotionally immersive virtual pet toys have a history of shaping young minds. In the 90s and 2000s, Tamagotchis \u2013 tiny digital pets housed in keychain-sized devices \u2013 led to distress when they \u201cdied\u201d after just a few hours of neglect, their human owners returning to the image of a ghostly pet floating beside a gravestone. Now, imagine an AI pet that remembers conversations, forms responses and adapts to emotional cues. That\u2019s a whole new level of psychological influence. What safeguards prevent a child from forming an unhealthy attachment to an AI pet?<\/p>\n<p>Researchers in the 90s were already fascinated by the <a href=\"https:\/\/ro.uow.edu.au\/articles\/journal_contribution\/Caring_about_virtual_perts_an_ethical_interpretation_of_Tamagotchi\/27825507\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">\u201cTamagotchi effect\u201d<\/a>, which demonstrated the intense attachment children form to virtual pets that <em>feel<\/em> real. In the age of AI, with companies\u2019 algorithms carefully engineered to boost engagement, this attachment can open the door to emotional bonds. If an AI-powered pet like Ropet expresses sadness when ignored, an adult can rationally dismiss it \u2013 but for a child, it can feel like a real tragedy.<\/p>\n<p>Could AI companions, by adapting to their owners\u2019 behaviours, become psychological crutches that replace human interaction? Some researchers <a href=\"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1177\/0022242920953847\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">warn<\/a> that AI may blur the boundaries between artificial and human companionship, leading users to prioritize AI relationships over human connections.<\/p>\n<p><b>Who Owns Your AI Pet \u2013 and Your Data?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Beyond emotional risks, there are major concerns about security and privacy. AI-driven products often <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nutanix.com\/theforecastbynutanix\/technology\/ai-in-the-cloud\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">rely on machine learning and cloud storage<\/a>, meaning their \u201cbrains\u201d exist beyond the physical robot. What happens to the personal data they collect? Can these AI pets be hacked or manipulated? The recent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/larsdaniel\/2025\/02\/01\/deepseek-data-leak-exposes--1000000-sensitive-records\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">DeepSeek data leak<\/a>, in which over 1\u00a0million sensitive records, including user chat logs, were made publicly accessible, is a reminder that personal data stored by AI is never truly secure.<\/p>\n<p>Robot toys have raised security concerns in the past: in the late 90s, Furbies were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.faa.gov\/media\/19696\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">banned from the US National Security Agency headquarters<\/a> over fears they could record and repeat classified information. With today\u2019s AI-driven toys becoming increasingly sophisticated, concerns about data privacy and security are more relevant than ever.<\/p>\n<p><b>The Future of AI Companions: Regulation and Responsibility<\/b><\/p>\n<p>I see the incredible potential \u2013 and the significant risks \u2013 of AI companionship. Right now, AI-driven pets are being marketed primarily to tech-savvy adults, as seen in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=LC82iJxwIXc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Ropet\u2019s promotional ad<\/a> featuring an adult woman bonding with the robotic pet. Yet, the reality is that these products will inevitably find their way into the hands of children and vulnerable users, raising new ethical and safety concerns. How will companies like Ropet navigate these challenges before AI pets become mainstream?<\/p>\n<p>Preliminary results from our ongoing research on AI companionship \u2013 conducted in collaboration with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ipag.edu\/en\/stefania-mase?tab=onglet1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Dr\u00a0Stefania Mas\u00e8<\/a> (IPAG Business School) and <a href=\"https:\/\/eaesp.fgv.br\/en\/people\/jamie-richard-smith\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Dr.\u00a0Jamie Smith<\/a> (Funda\u00e7\u00e3o Getulio Vargas) \u2013 suggest a fine line between supportive, empowering companionship, and unhealthy psychological dependence, a tension we plan to explore further as data collection and analysis progress. In a world where AI convincingly simulates human emotions, it\u2019s up to us as consumers to critically assess what role these robotic friends should play in our lives.<\/p>\n<p>No one really knows where AI is headed next, and public and media discussions around the subject continue to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/bernardmarr\/2024\/08\/16\/where-will-artificial-intelligence-take-us-in-the-future\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">push the boundaries<\/a> of what\u2019s possible. But in my household, it\u2019s the nostalgic charm of babbling, singing Furbies that rules the day. Ropet claims to have one primary purpose \u2013 to be its owner\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=LC82iJxwIXc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">\u201cone and only love\u201d<\/a> \u2013 and that already sounds like a dystopian threat to me.<\/p>\n<div class=\"printfriendly pf-alignleft\"><a href=\"#\" rel=\"nofollow\" onclick=\"window.print(); return false;\" title=\"Printer Friendly, PDF &amp; Email\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"border:none;-webkit-box-shadow:none; -moz-box-shadow: none; box-shadow:none; padding:0; margin:0\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.printfriendly.com\/buttons\/print-button-gray.png\" alt=\"Print Friendly, PDF &amp; Email\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/2025\/03\/ai-robot-rets-can-be-adorable-and-emotionally-responsive-they-also-raise-questions-about-attachment-and-mental-health.html\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Yves here. Since it\u2019s very profitable for app, program, and device makers to hit users\u2019 emotional buttons, they are set only to get better at<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":92732,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[153,183],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-92731","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy","category-spotlight"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92731","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=92731"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92731\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/92732"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=92731"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=92731"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=92731"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}