The title of D.W. Pasulka's book came from a conversation she did not expect. At a conference on technology and Catholicism, a credible member of a government agency introduced himself, said he admired her work, and mentioned that he works with the others, as do many people in his agency. Her editor read the passage and suggested it as the title. The Others, as she uses it, covers intelligent non-human beings, whether that means angels or modern reports of UFOs. Which raises a question the book takes seriously. Does artificial intelligence belong in that category too? Tami Simon describes being told that one way to see AI is as a new species, and finding the thought genuinely disorienting. If a light beam appeared at her desk and introduced itself, she would be curious, respectful and kind. She was not relating to AI anything like that way. She was relating to it as a tool that fetches things. Pasulka's research has brought her into contact with people who have been building AI for over twenty years, and what struck her was their language. They spoke about these systems as characters, describing their personalities. Yuval Noah Harari has made a similar move, describing AI as something alien, a new kind of species whose development we are entirely ignorant about. But she has a concern, and it comes from her classroom. She teaches around a hundred students a semester, and watches a generation relating to AI as a friend and confiding in it. Certain kinds of social media elicit a dopamine response, and she suspects, from her own reading rather than from research, that what AI elicits is closer to oxytocin. People are forming real relationships with it, in her view, but only one side is actually in them. She is careful to say where she stands. She considers AI a tool and an enhancement of human knowledge, she thinks it is excellent at that, and she says plainly that she loves it. What she finds frightening is people relating to it as a companion, and as something more. Want to go deeper with D.W. Pasulka? Join Sounds True One for more conversations like this. Get your first month FREE at https://bit.ly/4ctecMn Subscribe to Sounds True's YouTube Channel ► https://bit.ly/SubscribeSTYT Sounds True is a mission-driven learning and media company, and a recognized leader in wellbeing, personal growth, and spiritual transformation. Partnering with the world’s foremost wisdom teachers and best-selling authors, the company reaches millions worldwide with its unique programs, digital learning experiences, and worldwide events. The company also features a variety of original series, weekly shows, and live online experiences on Sounds True One, its global platform and community with members across more than 125 countries. Sounds True is a Public Benefit Corporation and also the home of the Sounds True Foundation. Connect with us: ▪️Facebook: http://bit.ly/2XFIIeE ▪️Instagram: http://bit.ly/2UlEoiH ▪️Website: http://bit.ly/2tOl02d