Abstract

A psychologist and an AI researcher speculate on the future of social interaction between humans and androids (robots designed to look and act exactly like people). In reviewing the trajectory of currently developing robotics technologies, the level of android sophistication likely to be achieved in fifty years time is assessed. On the basis of psychological research, obstacles to creating an android indistinguishable from humans are considered. Implications of human-android social interaction from the standpoint of current psychological and AI research are discussed, with speculation on novel psychological issues likely to arise from such interaction. The science of psychology will face a remarkable new set of challenges in grappling with human-android interaction.

Citations