New Korean Book Explores Humans' Emotional Bonds With Robots and Risks
A new Korean-language science book, Robots, and People Who Love Robots, surveys how advances in robot technology are reshaping the bond between humans and machines. Written by science writer Eve Harold, the work argues that as robots become more capable of interacting with people, humans may increasingly form emotional attachments to them.
The book uses the 2014 film Her as a touchstone, noting that what felt fictional a decade ago is edging toward everyday reality. In Her, a man develops affection for an AI companion; Harold suggests that today’s real-world robots and AI systems are moving in the same direction, capable of conversation, care, and social presence in homes and workplaces.
A central claim is that humans are inherently social and relational. As robots offer companionship and tailored interaction, people may come to love them—perhaps even more than they expect. Harold contends that society is already seeing a shift in how people form bonds with nonhuman entities.
The author cites research indicating that people often anthropomorphize even simple robotic devices. For example, among robot owners, more than half attribute gender to robotic vacuums, and about one in three give their robotic cleaner a name. Such behaviors illustrate the ease with which people project personality onto machines.
Harold discusses a broad spectrum of “social robots”—from baby-sitting and care robots to friendbots, therapy aids, and even romantic partners. As these devices engage in conversation and respond to users’ needs, users may become increasingly dependent on them for emotional support and social stimulation.
But the book also warns of significant risks. Relationships with robots can become unilateral or one-sided, potentially shaping expectations and behavior in human interactions. The rise of sex robots, in particular, raises concerns about the nature of intimate relationships and the potential to project mechanistic traits onto real people. The author stresses that such shifts could alter patterns of consent, agency, and empathy.
Another troubling point is the impact on vulnerable groups. Elderly people and children can grow attached to caregiving robots even as those machines fail to reciprocate human warmth, which may diminish human attention from actual caregivers and family members. Harold argues that dependency on robotic assistance could intensify isolation if not managed thoughtfully.
Overall, the book frames robots as a technology that sells sociality as a product, even while the social connections they offer may be illusory in important respects. Harold emphasizes that robots reflect human energy back to people rather than truly connecting minds, leaving society to decide how to preserve humanity in an increasingly automated social landscape.
For U.S. readers, the stakes are tangible. The United States faces aging demographics, labor shortages in care sectors, and rapid growth in consumer and service robots, all of which intersect with questions about privacy, safety, and the ethical design of AI. The book raises questions relevant to policy and markets: how to regulate data gathered by personal social robots, how to ensure safe interaction, and how to balance innovation with human-centered care and social well-being in a competitive global market.
Robots, and People Who Love Robots is published by Hyunamsa, a Korean publishing house. It is translated by Kim Chang-gyu. The work contributes to a broader international conversation about how AI companions may reshape family life, workplace culture, and the global supply chain for next-generation robotics.