Yes, Fido, Humans Will Have Robot Dogs
Not Just Because Tech Will Get Better at Seeming 'Natural,' But Because Our Idea of 'Natural' Will Change
Over at Small Potatoes the other day, Paul Bloom explained why he thinks we may never, ever have robot dogs (or other robot pets). It’s a typically smart and charming piece (Bloom’s is one of the best Substacks around), but I wasn’t convinced. I think robots and AI are going to feel more and more “natural” to people — not just because the tech will get better, but because it will alter our notion of what “natural” means (just as it has in the past).
I think robot dogs will be a Thing — maybe not in my time or my son’s, but some day.
Why doesn’t Bloom?
One of his arguments is unassailable. As he says, today it’s hard to make a robot lifelike. Really, really hard. It’s expensive, too. Even robot-makers who lean heavily into life-likeness in their machines (animal or human formed) cannot go “all in.”
If they build an amazingly lifelike face, it might live on an industrial-looking body made of metal parts.
And if they offer a human-form sex toy with arms, legs and a…