GoKawiilMIT researcher Sherry Turkle explores why humans treat AI as sentient in new book 'Artificial Intimacy'
At MIT's Future Fest, longtime MIT faculty member Sherry Turkle discussed her new book examining why people instinctively anthropomorphize robots and chatbots. She notes that even brief exchanges with 'relational artifacts' make people feel cared for, prompting them to reciprocate that care. The piece also recounts a TechCrunch reporter's visit to MIT's CSAIL lab, where $50,000 Unitree humanoid robots drew similarly instinctive, human-like greetings from visitors.