31st Sunday in ordinary time. Today’s readings: Deuteronomy 6:2-6; Psalm 18: 2-51; Hebrews 7:23-28; John 14:23; Mark 12: 28b-34
On October 10, at Tesla’s robo-taxi unveiling, the Optimus bot initially captivated audiences with its capabilities. Disclosure that the bot was human-operated deflated the excitement, with critics labelling the unveiling as “all smoke and mirrors”, highlighting the industry’s tendency to exaggerate AI’s capabilities.
While humanoid AIs are intended to eventually operate autonomously and perform various tasks, they currently rely on remote control and assisted movements to gather data, refine algorithms, and progress toward self-sufficiency in complex environments. Studies are showing that although designed for practical purposes, humanoid bots that emulate human behaviour pose risks of emotional dependency and addiction as people may start to anthropomorphise these machines and form affective attachments.
There are reports of users forming romantic connections with chatbots like Replika and Character.ai, some even leading to emotional distress, self-harm and suicidal ideation. This raises ethical concerns about human susceptibility to machines mimicking empathetic responses. By simulating human interaction, these bots encourage emotional bonds that can lessen social engagement with people, favouring the ‘unconditional hearing’ from a non-judgemental AI companion. This, in turn, makes users vulnerable by sharing their most sensitive dimension to an addictive bot which is ultimately run by for-profit businesses.
It has been shown that when abruptly removed or altered, bots can seriously damage people’s mental health and well-being. Not to mention the weakening of users’ relational skills, making real-life emotional exchanges harder to navigate (Sigal Samuel, Vox).
True love is a bond between two inherently different individuals who respect each other’s freedom and embrace each other’s distinctiveness- British philosopher Iris Murdoch
Bots lack true autonomy, empathy and reciprocity. They present a mirror of the user’s personality but lack genuine understanding or care. In Falling in Love with Robots: A Phenomenological Study of Experiences with Technological Alterities (2019), Tõnu Viik explores the idea that true love requires engagement with an independent subject. For Viik, love involves a reciprocal relationship where each person retains unique individuality, making real conflict and connection possible.
In Existentialists and Mystics: Writings on Philosophy and Literature, Iris Murdoch points out that to love is to realise something (or someone) other than oneself is real. She describes true love as a bond between two inherently different individuals who respect each other’s freedom and embrace each other’s distinctiveness. In true alterity, no prefabricated harmony exists; love emerges as a unique encounter between two people with freedom of thought and genuine understanding. These reflections and observations underscore a vital distinction between relationships with humans and with machines, especially in the age of AI.
Today’s liturgical readings emphasise the capacity to “hear” as involving more than passive listening; it involves engaging deeply with others, beholding them in their mystery, and understanding their perspectives. In the Judeo-Christian covenantal faith context, God calls for a holistic commitment that extends to loving one’s neighbour. This divine-human love is portrayed by Moses and Jesus as an embodied response that encompasses heart, soul, mind and strength, and is then manifested in compassionate, outward actions. Jesus exemplifies this by connecting the love of God with the love of others, illustrating that genuine “hearing” results in empathy and proactive care. It is concrete love, rather than theoretical, which highlights the relational depth that is absent in AI-human interactions.
In this era of advanced AI, we must not lose sight of the essential humanity within true love. In Dilexit nos (2024), Pope Francis points out that no algorithm can encapsulate the profound human quality of empathy and selfless love. While AI can simulate aspects of human interaction, it lacks the heart-to-heart exchange that defines real relationships. Thus, maintaining awareness of what constitutes genuine love is critical; noble, human love sustains our shared humanity, offering something that machines can never replicate.