People commented that they felt emotions for their stuffed animals, plants, furniture and even the voice behind their phone’s GPS. “We’re sort of hardwired to connect with other people, and sometimes that extends to other (things) who aren’t people,” Shepard said. Anthropomorphizing household objectsWhen people feel sympathy for inanimate objects, they are anthropomorphizing, attributing human behaviors or feelings to animals or objects who cannot feel the same emotions as we do, Shepard said. When Wilde first shared the video, she thought she might be the only one who experienced emotions for the unassuming objects, she said. These AI companions are becoming increasingly popular, but experts don’t yet know how these bots can affect someone’s development or psychology, Wei said.

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Persons: Lilianna Wilde, jean, Wilde, Melissa Shepard, ” Shepard, Shepard, Kim Egel, ” Egel, “, who’s, ’ ” Wilde, it’s, It’s, …, hasn’t, ” Wilde, Anthropomorphizing, anthropomorphizing, Marlynn Wei, Wei, We’re Organizations: CNN, NASA Locations: Maryland, California, …, New York