The landscape of marriage and relationships has changed a great deal in Canada in the last 30 or 40 years. In the 60’s and 70’s it was very rare to see an interracial couple walking down the street. Now it is even legal for gay couples to become united under the recent law to allow gay marriage. These movements are great, but where is the line drawn?
Recently an artificial intelligence researcher professor in the Netherlands named David Levy made the prediction that by 2050 we will begin to see movements to legalize marriage to robots. When I first heard this I was shocked, I have heard nothing along the lines of saying “I do” to a walking computer. I discovered that related studies and analysis has been going on for over 50 years. A man named A.M. Turning wrote
Computing Machinery and Intelligence, in this he spoke of the “Imitation Game”. This game attempts to answer the question “Can machines think?” According to David Levy he believes that in 2050 machines will not only be able to think, they will act as humans, they will have human mates, and they will have sex with humans.
Upon further examination it seems as though this is entirely possible. Robots can be programmed to meet the needs of the individual, although artificially. This theory takes our time binding and space binding society to an all new level. Now we can go online and look for a relationship, meet someone, and keep contact with a webcam as if a couple were in the same room. Combine this with the fact that every second counts now a days and robot relationships seem entirely feasible. Many people do not have time for human to human relationships; marriage to a robot would be the ultimate in convenience for some. Much of the required technology is already out there, or it is in the process of being developed. Some dolls are available on the internet, and they are selling for close to $10,000 each.
Now we know that this is possible, what implications might it have on the way that we communicate? If we can have robotic mates than we can have robotic friends, robotic doormen, and robotic
co-workers. We will completely lose every sense of personable relationships and genuine communicating. Technology may develop to the point where a robot can think or converse, but it that really communicating? I am going to take the stand that it is definitely not. This form of technology is called artificial intelligence because it is artificial. The concept of it becoming legal or even thinkable to marry a robot is merely an imitation game, it’s not real.
Recently an artificial intelligence researcher professor in the Netherlands named David Levy made the prediction that by 2050 we will begin to see movements to legalize marriage to robots. When I first heard this I was shocked, I have heard nothing along the lines of saying “I do” to a walking computer. I discovered that related studies and analysis has been going on for over 50 years. A man named A.M. Turning wrote
Computing Machinery and Intelligence, in this he spoke of the “Imitation Game”. This game attempts to answer the question “Can machines think?” According to David Levy he believes that in 2050 machines will not only be able to think, they will act as humans, they will have human mates, and they will have sex with humans.Upon further examination it seems as though this is entirely possible. Robots can be programmed to meet the needs of the individual, although artificially. This theory takes our time binding and space binding society to an all new level. Now we can go online and look for a relationship, meet someone, and keep contact with a webcam as if a couple were in the same room. Combine this with the fact that every second counts now a days and robot relationships seem entirely feasible. Many people do not have time for human to human relationships; marriage to a robot would be the ultimate in convenience for some. Much of the required technology is already out there, or it is in the process of being developed. Some dolls are available on the internet, and they are selling for close to $10,000 each.
Now we know that this is possible, what implications might it have on the way that we communicate? If we can have robotic mates than we can have robotic friends, robotic doormen, and robotic
co-workers. We will completely lose every sense of personable relationships and genuine communicating. Technology may develop to the point where a robot can think or converse, but it that really communicating? I am going to take the stand that it is definitely not. This form of technology is called artificial intelligence because it is artificial. The concept of it becoming legal or even thinkable to marry a robot is merely an imitation game, it’s not real. 
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