Human Bonding, the Future of AGI, and Robotic/Biomimetic Pets: Should We Be Worried? - Patrick Flynn

Purina Institute Global Summit 2025
Human Bonding, the Future of AGI, and Robotic/Biomimetic Pets: Should We Be Worried?

Explore the potential of robotic pets, their evolution due to advances in artificial intelligence and robotics, and the possibility of people to form emotional bonds with them.

Speaker: Patrick Flynn, DVM, MS (Anthrozoology)

Q&A moderator: Jennifer Larsen, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVIM (Nutrition)

Date: 1 May 2025

Location: St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics have enabled robotic pets to move from the realm of science fiction to a tangible, increasingly lifelike reality. Although humans can and do form emotional attachments with nonliving things, there is considerable debate on whether AI-driven robotic pets can truly replace the emotional and psychological bonds formed with real, living dogs and cats.

This presentation will start with a brief overview on AI and artificial general intelligence (AGI), followed by a discussion of how humans form emotional bonds with living and nonliving things, including the ability of humans to bond to a robotic pet. Finally, the session will explore the potential of robotic pets, examining their advantages and limitations as companions, therapeutic tools, and educational aids.

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