How Human Should AI Agents Really Be?

Sophie Bushwick is a regular contributor to Science Friday on NPR and has previously worked for Scientific America and Popular Science. As the Senior News Editor at New Scientist, she joined Robb and Josh in exploring anthropomorphism and AI.

Sophie’s work reminds us that our introduction to pocket computers came with the heavily anthropomorphized Tamagotchi pets of the late ’90s. As we head into the era of conversational machines, Sophie brings her insights to a conversation about the pros and cons of making them human-like across a whole range of scenarios, including those geared toward productivity and entertainment.

The correlations and similarities between corporations and AI pose both ethical considerations as well as design challenges, and this discussion draws on Sophie’s extensive background in technology reporting to look for answers.