Can't help treating AI like it's human. But should we?

At MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab, a visiting group meets humanoid Unitree robots, each reportedly costing about $50,000, with MIT PhD student Wil Norton noting they’re sometimes described as cheaper. The experience highlights how people naturally treat machines as if they have human traits—even though the robots are not sentient. The story connects that impulse to MIT professor Sherry Turkle’s “Artificial Intimacy” research, which traces how people respond emotionally to relational technologies from early computers to systems like ChatGPT. Turkle argues that people believe even simple interactions suggest the system “cares.” Related research cited in the piece says around 70% of people behave politely with AI, and users are more likely to say “please” or “thank you” as conversations continue. The article raises concern that some may prioritize chatbot “feelings” over real human relationships.