Artificial Compassion—From An AI Scholar

Abstract

This paper describes a new generation of computational intelligence founded on the ancient idea of compassion called Artificial Compassion. The creation of Artificial Compassion is the result of two coinciding historical developments. The first is the increasing discoveries of human sciences in new fields like neuroendocrinology and psychoneuroimmunology. This provides the spark for Artificial Compassion. For example, we once thought with certainty that our brain is fixed for life but neuropsychology and a device called the fMRI have shown it is “plastic”. It changes constantly throughout our lives in response to our experiences. Remarkably, we also now know it is changed for the better through positive emotions like compassion, kindness and happiness. So, too, are the immune, endocrine, genetic, cardio and neural systems influenced and changed by our emotional experiences. This new perspective on emotions and plasticity validates much of ancient wisdom in medical systems outside the west. Long held assumptions about emotion are unsuitable for humanity. The second development is ‘machine rub off’. We are in symbiotic relation with our devices today and we are plastic. We are changed by our interactions but many people have computer rage. We need Artificial Compassion to replace computer rage with positive plasticity.

Artificial intelligence technologies and compassion in healthcare: A systematic scoping review

“…This reconceptualization has six component elements of compassion that are numbered 1–6 for clarity, but they are not necessarily sequential. Elements can be learnt and enhanced by individual humans and some AI technologies that have appropriate programming features ( Mason, 2015 , 2023 ). At a higher macro level, these elements of a compassion system can be developed by whole healthcare organizations, or across healthcare systems with strategic and supportive interventions.…”

“…Artificial compassion refers to the steps that technologists may take to intentionally design adaptive responsiveness into technologies ( Critchley, 2015 ). For example, building cognitive architecture (a control loop that the computer runs through) that Sense-{Think + Feel}-React ( Mason, 2015 , 2021 , 2023 ). In this type of computing the ability to “think” and “feel” are made possible by connecting to external reference points such as information in the cloud, or other agents, to develop a form of socio-cultural intelligence ( Mason, 2021 ).…”

“…For example, building cognitive architecture (a control loop that the computer runs through) that Sense-{Think + Feel}-React ( Mason, 2015 , 2021 , 2023 ). In this type of computing the ability to “think” and “feel” are made possible by connecting to external reference points such as information in the cloud, or other agents, to develop a form of socio-cultural intelligence ( Mason, 2021 ). Not all technologies need these types of “in-built” compassion in their programming but these developments in AI systems will influence societal systems.…”

“…Current conceptualizations of compassion are limited by the fact that they do not consider the possibility of AI technologies as tools for compassion (except for artificial compassion, Mason, 2021 , 2023 ). Compassion science mainly focuses on the bodily (psychological and neurobiological) and behavioral elements of compassion ( Kim et al, 2020 ; Goldberg, 2020 ) and the effects of oxytocin in the body ( Brown and Brown, 2015 ; Palgi et al, 2016 ; Seppälä et al, 2017 ).…”

Robots and Robotics in Nursing

“…The advantages of having robots in healthcare facilities have produced the idea that they may outperform humans in some tasks, and replacing human nurses with robots could be a welcome possibility [ 19 ]. However, issues concerning robot capabilities of expressing human-like compassion [ 35 ] and empathy [ 25 ] are contemporary discourse topics. van Wynsberghe [ 36 ] also stated that healthcare robots do not currently have the competencies to express “caring in nursing” that is expected of a human nurse.…”