Human robot interaction leading to emotional connection
The notion of there being mutual affection between a human and a robot is no longer the stuff of science fiction, according to the president of a company listed on the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Society must prepare itself for such interactions becoming increasingly acceptable, in the same way that companies are removing barriers to sexual minorities being a part of the workforce.
TOKYO -- There is a woman in China who has been told "I love you" nearly 20 million times.

That special lady is Xiaoice (pronounced "Shao-ice"), a chatbot developed by Microsoft engineers in China. Some 89 million people enjoy having conversations with Xiaoice on devices such as smartphones, and they are developing intimate feelings toward her in the process.