Mark Linnhoefer – A new campaign condemns the “increasing effort” that scientists are allegedly making to add artificial intelligence to sex robots that would harm society and reduce humanity’s empathy, or so say the campaigners.
The campaign, simply called “Campaign against sex robots”, was launched by Dr. Kathleen Richardson, who is very concerned that the creation of intelligent sex robots – and sex robots generally, for that matter – will “contribute to detrimental relationships” and objectify women. She also raises the issue of the reinforcement of relationship stereotypes through the use of these robots, as they will likely be geared to please their male users, who might then start losing the ability to enter actual, human relationships.
Companies targeted are firms like “True Companion”, whose Chief Executive Douglas Hines believes that there is an actual need for his company’s products. “We [True Companion] are not supplanting the wife or trying to replace the girlfriend”, he says.
He goes on to add that these robots are meant for people “in between relationships” or those who “have just lost a spouse”, stressing that one can “find happiness and fulfillment other than via human interaction”. He furthermore says that most of the time won’t be spent actually doing the robot, but “socializing and interacting” with it so that the robot learns what his human likes.
Some scientists and authors are taking these theories to another level by asking questions about future legislation in regard to robot companions and their rights in terms of marriage and adoption.
Dr. Richardson’s campaign, however, focuses on the ethical aspect and is trying to make sex robots look like the end of civilization and emancipation. Whether she’s right with that or not, this reporter cannot claim to know, but her theories do seem a bit far-fetched.
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