Children judge Alexa to be more human-like than Roomba—the autonomous robotic vacuum cleaner. This was the conclusion reached by developmental psychologists from Duke University in the United States after conducting a study consisting of 127 children aged between 4 to 11 years old.
The findings of this study, first published in the journal Developmental Psychology, have sparked conversation on the evolving relationship between children and technology. This study was inspired, in part, by lead author Teresa Flanagan’s observations of how Hollywood depicts human-robot interactions in shows such as HBO’s Westworld.
In the study, children watched a video of both the Alexa and Roomba devices, later answering several questions about each device. The kids believed the Alexa was able to have emotions and think, while the Roomba was seen as having limited mental capabilities.
Ultimately, the children made it clear that none of the two devices should be yelled at or harmed, with the latter opinion becoming less held amongst adolescents.
The study authors noted the importance of understanding why children believe it’s wrong to assault these home technologies. One 10-year-old said it was wrong because the microphone sensors might break if you yell too loudly, while another said it was wrong because the robot would feel sad.
It is believed that this study has sparked discussion of ethical treatment of AI and machines alike. It raises important questions regarding the matter such as should adults be thankful to AI tools such as Siri or its more sophisticated counterpart, ChatGPT?
The study authors are taking further steps to understand more about the children’s views on these topics, considered the findings to be both interesting and reassuring. As the children’s relationship with technology continues to evolve, it will be important to stay up-to-date on research such as this.
