From Penny Jackson, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, UK
The idea that robot pets would solve our carbon footprint issue seems a bit blinkered. The pet options aren’t just cat, dog or robot. Small herbivores have a far smaller carbon footprint, one that may be less than that of a dog-sized robot (12 October 2024, p 22).
What’s more, the suggestion that animal intelligence consists solely of the ability to follow our “simple commands” completely misses the point of a pet. Yes, some level of obedience is important for dogs, but this is a safety net, not their primary purpose. My guinea pigs fascinate me not because they ever do what I say, but because they never cease to surprise me with their varied personalities, and are a constant source of entertainment by learning and doing things completely unlike what would ever occur to a human. This, by definition, would be very difficult to put into an AI.
