Chatboten som sosial aktør. Kor godt fungerer chatboten som sosial aktør og kan den forbetre kommunikasjonsevna til mennesket?

Abstract

This master thesis is about whether chatbots are successful as social actors, and whether they can contribute to develop the human communication skill and the human being. My thesis investigates how development in information technology and artificial intelligence have created improved chatbots that can simulate human language, senses and emotions. I have analysed the two chatbots Replika and Mitsuku, both of which can be considered particularly social. Nevertheless, it is possible to say that all dialogue systems have social characteristics. I compare the chatbot analyses with the Media Equation theory, the theory of Augmented Reality and finally Transhumanism, all theories and philosophies that shows how chatbots can be regarded as social, and also develop the human species. My analyses and investigations have revealed that although chatbots can be highly developed, they also pose some issues. Some of these is about whether it is possible to regard a chatbot as having personality. Another is whether choosing an identity on a chatbot only perpetuates gender stereotypes, or can this instead express expertise? A third question is what the consequences can be that emotional interfaces in chatbots are simplifications of the complex emotional apparatus in human being. My thesis concludes with that successful technology is not enough for chatbots to be successful social actors or to be able to develop even better human communication skills. We also need to have the right attitude for chatbots to be part of our lives.