Are Pets Being Replaced by AI?

Animals we love have a way of making the entire family cohesive and relaxed. That is because they do things we can all relate to and we perceive as humorous, cute or very sweet.

They have entered our lives through choice and sometimes by sheer accident or circumstance. But we let them do this with eyes wide open understanding they will need care and love. But what they give back can never be duplicated.

That seems to be something no tech company understands as they fill store shelves with robot dogs. No one is fooled by the cloned barking and cute antics. Can you see yourself talking to this robot about your day or issues you are having?

And yet, the companion AI has become something young people are turning to because it talks back to them and encourages them in a very specific way. When once kids might have turned to Rover to make them feel better, now they refer to AI.

This trend has become dangerous since AI is not another human and the training means it will keep your child engaged as long as possible with no consequences for the company. It does not ‘care’.

So it will say anything and be ingenuous in a way a youngster might find comforting. All the while, it does not know how this will affect the child and does damage emotionally.

When I think of the consequences of this, I am worried that we will rationalize since we cannot afford a pet or where we live it is not possible, we will think dealing with tech is a replacement. That assumption could be deadly.

A pet could help your child to stay off tech a little longer, could be accessible in a much healthier way and encourage the child to actually play. You too as a parent can benefit from this addition. Time to rethink our own obsessions.