The technological advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) constantly raises new questions about how humans perceive and interact with digital agents. A recent study conducted at Imperial College London revealed that people show empathy and protective behavior towards AI bots that are excluded from social interactions, even in simple situations like a virtual game of tossing a ball. These findings uncover the complexity of the human relationship with AI technology and how psychological processes play a crucial role in shaping that relationship.

Study on the game "Cyberball" and social exclusion

The study, which involved the participation of 244 respondents aged between 18 and 62 years, utilized a virtual game called "Cyberball" to investigate how people react to the exclusion of AI bots from social activities. In this game, participants observed how one human player throws a ball exclusively to another human player, ignoring the AI bot. In some cases, the bot was included in the game, while in others it was systematically excluded.

Interestingly, the respondents reacted very similarly to how they would react to excluded humans. Namely, most participants expressed empathy towards the AI bot, attempting to correct the injustice and reintegrate it into the game. This pattern of behavior demonstrates that humans can perceive AI bots as social entities, despite knowing they are virtual entities. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced among older participants, who showed greater sensitivity to injustice, indicating that age plays an important role in the perception of social interactions with AI systems.

Empathy towards AI bots represents an unexpected result, but it aligns with previous research that has shown that people naturally react to injustice and social exclusion, even when it concerns inanimate objects. Humans tend to empathize with those excluded from social activities, raising the question of how far this pattern can go in a world where AI is becoming increasingly present.

How AI bots affect human perception

This study opens up many interesting implications for the further development of AI systems, especially regarding the design and implementation of virtual agents. As artificial intelligence becomes more prevalent in various aspects of life, from chatbots in customer support to virtual assistants in everyday tasks, it is important to understand how people respond to these technologies. AI system designers must be aware of the potential impact that humanoid design can have on users. Excessively human-like characteristics of AI agents may create confusion among users, blurring the lines between real and virtual interactions.

One of the main conclusions of this study is the need for balance in the design of AI agents. While some people react positively to AI agents displaying human characteristics, others may feel confused or uncomfortable in such interactions. For this reason, researchers recommend avoiding overly human elements in design to maintain a clear distinction between the real and virtual worlds.

It is important to note that this phenomenon does not exclusively pertain to younger generations. Older participants in the study, who showed a higher degree of empathy towards AI bots, may have developed a stronger awareness of social exclusion due to life experiences. This information could be crucial for AI system designers, who should tailor their products to different age groups.

Future research on human interaction with AI agents

Although the results of the study on the game "Cyberball" provided valuable insights into human behavior in interactions with AI bots, researchers acknowledge that this situation may not fully reflect the complexity of real life. In the real world, interactions with AI systems often involve written or verbal forms of communication, which can elicit different responses from users. Therefore, the team of scientists now plans to conduct similar experiments in more realistic settings, including face-to-face conversations with AI agents in laboratory and everyday contexts.

These future experiments will allow for a deeper understanding of human perception of AI systems and how that perception changes depending on the context. Researchers aim to determine the extent to which the results of the "Cyberball" study hold true in everyday situations and how people perceive AI agents in various environments.

As AI continues to change our lives, it is crucial to understand how people react to these technologies and how we can shape the future of artificial intelligence in a way that is both beneficial and ethically acceptable. Studies like this provide important insights into human nature and the way technology can become an integrated part of society, without blurring the lines between the virtual and real worlds.

Source: Imperial College London