Reading Group Discussion: "Can Chatbots Preserve Our Relationships with the Dead?"
Please RSVP by sending an email to julia.houwen [at] mail.mcgill.ca
On April 24th, the Jarislowsky Chair in Human Nature and Technology will hold a group discussion on Cambell, Liu and Nyholm's paper titled "Can Chatbots Preserve Our Relationship with the Dead?"
The session will be held from 3-5PM, in Thomson House, room 404.
Abstract: Imagine that you are given access to an AI chatbot that compellingly mimics the personality and speech of a deceased loved one. If you start having regular interactions with this “thanabot,” could this new relationship be a continuation of the relationship you had with your loved one? And could a relationship with a thanabot preserve or replicate the value of a close human relationship? To the first question, we argue that a relationship with a thanabot cannot be a true continuation of your relationship with a deceased loved one, though it might support one’s continuing bonds with the dead. To the second question, we argue that, in and of themselves, relationships with thanabots cannot benefit us as much as rewarding and healthy intimate relationships with other humans, though we explain why it is difficult to make reliable comparative generalizations about the instrumental value of these relationships.