“You're dating... a robot?” A Preliminary Study on Understanding Perceived Harms of AI-powered Intimate Companion Robots

Sophia Bertoni, Abraham Mhaidli

Keywords: Intimate Companion Robots, Human-Robot Interactions, Technology-related Harm, Virtual reality, Chatbots, Story Completion Method, AI-driven communication

TL;DR: Preliminary study on subjective perceived harms that concern users regarding a close and intimate relationship with an AI-powered robot

Abstract:

Society is witnessing a rapid integration of AI-powered robots in daily life, including in intimate settings. This process has been
accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and its related loneliness epidemic. Despite providing companionship, the integration
of robots carries potential harm. This preliminary project aims to understand perceived harms from the users’ perspective. To do
so, it will make use of the story completion method. Following this, participants will be invited to interact with a robot in a virtual
reality setting and re-evaluated for perceived harms. The results of this study will help understand disparities between
subjective and objective concerns regarding robot intimate companionship. It will also allow addressing said concerns when
developing emerging technologies.

Submission Number: 2