61. Do we really react emotionally to AI? With Rebecca Wallbank

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, we’re asking whether people can really have genuine emotional reactions to artificial intelligence. Many of us already feel things towards AIs – whether that’s frustration with a chatbot, affection for a companion robot, or even comfort in talking to a virtual assistant – but should we take these emotions seriously? Philosopher Rebecca Wallbank joins me to explore what counts as a ‘genuine’ emotion, whether our responses to AI differ from our responses to fiction, and what it means to say that these emotions might be profound. Together, we’ll consider whether there’s anything irrational about these reactions, and what their significance might be for our emotional lives in a world increasingly shaped by AI.Here's Rebecca's paper on the topic:https://academic.oup.com/edited-volume/59762/chapter-abstract/508607528?redirectedFrom=fulltextEthics Untangled is produced by IDEA, The Ethics Centre at the University of Leeds.As well as the podcast, Ethics Untangled is also the name for the long-form online presence of IDEA.Bluesky: @ethicsuntangled.bluesky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/idea_leeds/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ideacetlLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/idea-ethics-centre/