Iconic films like Fritz Lang's Metropolis, Spike Jonze's Her, and Alex Garland's Ex Machina have portrayed human-robot romances. But is this possible in reality? Researchers from Toyohashi University of Technology and Kyoto University affirm it is, based on their study published in Nature.
Using functional MRI (fMRI)—a magnetic resonance imaging technique that maps brain activity during tasks, processes, or emotions, as explained by Imagilys—the team assessed empathy in 15 volunteers toward humans and robots enduring pain, such as a finger cut.
Key finding: Participants exhibited strong empathy for robots, mirroring responses to humans. Michiteru Kitazaki, a lead researcher, notes: "Empathy toward robots, like toward humans, fosters altruism and prosocial behavior." Yet, as Futura Sciences highlights, experts like Kathleen Richardson, a robotics ethicist at the University of Leicester, caution against sex robots, advocating for human connections.
Falling for a Jude Law-inspired robot from A.I. Artificial Intelligence? Science suggests deeper bonds may be possible.
