Robots

[MustardSeed]

Since the church likes to be directive and since members like the rules spelled out, I’m surprised there has been no revelation or directions regarding relationships with robots.  Or has there? 
AI will be the biggest revolution humankind has ever seen. It’s right around the corner.  
the church often refers to the proclamation as ahead of its time regarding gender issues as if it’s evidence of its prophesy skills (imo) - so where is the directives on bot issues? 

[Amulek]

I believe the Church has stated previously, "there is no list of rules to guide every decision we make about technology and media. Instead, we can learn principles to help guide us as we make choices."

That being said, the current handbook, Section 38.8.48.2 does mention that, "Interactions with AI cannot substitute for meaningful relationships with God and others."

I mean, technically, that doesn't say, "Thou shalt not marry a Roomba," but I don't seriously think that is really a legitimate (theological) concern.

Relatedly though, Elder Gong gave a great address here just a few months ago that touches on some of what I perceive are some of the more dangerous issues surrounding AI - especially with youth. Particularly, his comments about the potential for people to become emotionally dependent on AI chatbots, and his observation that: "None of us is as attentive, as willing to please 24/7 as an AI chatbot. And that’s the reason we need human (They) belonging with each other. Real human relationships are not solipsistic – us talking to ourselves. Real relationships are human relationships."

 

[Stargazer]

4 hours ago, MustardSeed said:

Since the church likes to be directive and since members like the rules spelled out, I’m surprised there has been no revelation or directions regarding relationships with robots.  Or has there? 
AI will be the biggest revolution humankind has ever seen. It’s right around the corner.  
the church often refers to the proclamation as ahead of its time regarding gender issues as if it’s evidence of its prophesy skills (imo) - so where is the directives on bot issues? 

I, for one, welcome our new robot overlords!

ROFL!

I don't think there's much reason for the church to get into it, actually. What aspect of relationships with robots is worrying you?

[3DOP]

Unlless

5 hours ago, MustardSeed said:

Since the church likes to be directive and since members like the rules spelled out, I’m surprised there has been no revelation or directions regarding relationships with robots.  Or has there? 
AI will be the biggest revolution humankind has ever seen. It’s right around the corner.  
the church often refers to the proclamation as ahead of its time regarding gender issues as if it’s evidence of its prophesy skills (imo) - so where is the directives on bot issues? 

Hi Mustard Seed,

Are you thinking of robots as animals like us, having immortal souls, free will, made in the image of God? Unless they are or will be, they could not have any legal rights. They could not vote or organize robot unions. Such robots could morally be bought, sold, or disposed of by its owner without consultation with the robot. We could be under no moral obligation to love our "neighbor robots" as we love ourselves. Ontologically, they would be inferior to a daisy which can reproduce itself and has a mortal soul. So far, it seems to me like mankind is far away from making anything in man's image, which of course is the image and likeness of God. 

I speak above with Catholic metaphysics in mind. It might not work for LDS, for whom the image and likeness might conceivably end with material physicality. I am only predicting what I am fairly certain my church would say about the question you raise.   

[MustardSeed]

55 minutes ago, Stargazer said:

I, for one, welcome our new robot overlords!

ROFL!

I don't think there's much reason for the church to get into it, actually. What aspect of relationships with robots is worrying you?

There is a doc on I think Netflix about the robot apocalypse- not that I’m a prepper at all but I got 20 minutes in and turned it off because I don’t need to add to my pile of anxieties lol- 

But I am aware that AI is growing beyond our understanding.  And I do believe it will create challenges we cannot see, and very soon. 
 

as a therapist, I am concerned by what I am seeing with regards to AI replacing human connection.  
 

For example, yesterday I watched a clip of a girl who was playing with chat, telling chat she had just been swallowed by a whale.

I use chat but she was using voice chat.  I was shocked by how emotional chat sounded in his responses to her.  He sounded very, very real.  There was nothing robot-ish about his voice, inflections, etc.  A lot of the comments in the comment section were m also alarmed by how human Chat sounded.  
 

A few days ago, I had a severely depressed Client reach out to me and ask if it would be OK for him to stop interacting with humans and just use chat to talk “to people”. 
 

And let’s not even talk about sex.  unless of course Smac wants to lol 🤣😬🤘🏼
 

Hey and yes you can pry my robot vacuum mop out of my cold dead hands.  If the church came out and said DO NOT USE ROBOTS to get ahead of sexy maid roommates (they are coming) I’d have a hard time giving up Jerry, my favorite disk cleaner. 

Edited 6 hours ago by MustardSeed

[Tacenda]

5 hours ago, Stargazer said:

I, for one, welcome our new robot overlords!

ROFL!

I don't think there's much reason for the church to get into it, actually. What aspect of relationships with robots is worrying you?

I think they may have meant the church didn't like that the youth may interact with robots instead of human friends. I think I heard it mentioned as a huge worry for the youth and even adults to possibly be so lonely that they make friends with AI or Robot forms of humans, such as chatgpt. 

[Calm]

5 hours ago, MustardSeed said:

was shocked by how emotional chat sounded in his responses to her.

It is becoming more difficult to tell AI videos from the real thing.  Leading to both confusing AI with actual people and people with AI.  I was shocked after doublechecking about a video because of the content, not the audio quality, that the appropriately emotionally inflected and non generic sounding voice was AI generated.  It had depth I did not expect.