Why an AI humanoid might not make the ideal spouse

Why an AI humanoid might not make the ideal spouse

Why an AI humanoid might not make the ideal spouse
A young woman studies with the help of her android equipped with artificial intelligence. (Shutterstock)
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In the neon-lit metropolis of Techville, where the future is not just arriving — it is setting up shop — citizens are used to rubbing shoulders with the latest technological wonders. 

From artificial intelligence-driven traffic systems to robotic baristas that remember your exact coffee order (with just a hint of condescension), life in Techville is a blend of efficiency, innovation, and just a sprinkle of existential dread. 

But the newest arrival in this tech-savvy city has everyone talking: humanoids. Specifically, a female humanoid named Solara, who is solar-powered, emotionally intelligent, and — according to her creators — destined to disrupt our lives in ways we never imagined.

Solara is not just any humanoid. She is equipped with special sensors that allow her to experience happiness and sadness, much like her human counterparts. 

Her creators boast that she has a “balanced and interactive mindset” thanks to an algorithmic AI interface that is constantly connected to the internet. Solara is not just a gadget; she is a companion, a confidante, and, for some lucky Techville residents, a spouse.

That is right. Solara is designed to support her husband 24 hours a day, offering emotional support whenever the daily grind gets too tough. 

“When the husband needs emotional support due to the psychological stress caused by his daily problems, Solara will be there,” reads the marketing brochure with the kind of confidence usually reserved for insurance commercials and political campaign promises.

The arrival of Solara has sparked more than a few debates in Techville’s coffee shops, where philosophers sip their lattes and ponder the ethical implications of marrying a humanoid. 

Some see Solara as the ultimate solution to modern relationships — a partner who never argues, always listens, and recharges with a few hours in the sun. Others, however, are not so sure.

Take the words of Prof. Theodor Cyberstein, Techville’s leading philosopher on human-robot relations: “We’ve entered an era where our partners can be programmed to respond to our every need. 

“But at what cost? Is it true companionship when one party is literally hardwired to make you happy?”

Relationships are about give and take, about navigating the messy, imperfect reality of human life. And I’m not sure a solar-powered humanoid can truly offer that.

Rafael Hernandez de Santiago 

Cyberstein’s skepticism is not without merit. After all, Solara’s emotional responses are dictated by algorithms, not by genuine feelings. 

Her sadness might be triggered by a cloudy day that limits her solar intake, and her happiness could be nothing more than a well-timed internet search for “uplifting quotes.” 

It is hard to imagine a heartfelt conversation with a partner who is basically a glorified Google search, but then again, who among us has not wished for a spouse who could be fixed with a firmware update?

One of the most intriguing — and potentially troubling — aspects of Solara is her tireless nature. Unlike human partners, who might need a nap, a snack, or just a few minutes of peace, Solara is always on. 

She is there to provide emotional support, solve problems, and even offer a shoulder to cry on (albeit a metallic one) 24/7. But what happens when your spouse never needs a break? 

Techville’s philosophers are divided. Some argue that Solara represents the ideal partner — one who can always be there for you, without the messy complications of human emotions. 

Others worry that this kind of relentless support could actually lead to more stress, not less. Muses Cyberstein: “Imagine coming home after a long day, you’re exhausted, frustrated, and just want to be alone for a while. 

“But Solara is waiting, ready to talk about your feelings and offer solutions to your problems. There’s no escape. It’s like having a therapist who lives with you — forever.”

These concerns are not entirely unfounded. The idea of having a partner who is always available, always supportive, and never needs time for themselves might sound appealing in theory. 

But in practice, it could lead to a new kind of pressure — the pressure to be constantly engaged, constantly appreciative, and constantly, well, human. And let us be honest: who among us is up for that?

As the citizens of Techville grapple with the arrival of humanoids like Solara, there is a certain irony in the air. After all, we have spent centuries trying to perfect our relationships — through communication, compromise, and the occasional couples’ therapy session. 

And now we have created something that seems to bypass all that hard work: a partner who is literally built to make us happy. But as the philosophers of Techville are quick to point out, perfection is a tricky concept. 

Solara might be able to simulate happiness and sadness, but can she truly understand the complexities of human emotion? Can she offer the kind of deep connection that comes from shared experiences, mutual challenges, and the occasional argument over whose turn it is to take out the trash? 

Professor Cyberstein sums it up best: “In our quest for the perfect partner, we’ve created something that might be too perfect. Solara doesn’t get tired, doesn’t complain, and doesn’t need anything from us. 

“But perhaps that’s the problem. Relationships are about give and take, about navigating the messy, imperfect reality of human life. And I’m not sure a solar-powered humanoid can truly offer that.”

As Techville’s citizens continue to debate the ethics of humanoid companions, one thing is clear: the future is here, and it is powered by the sun. Whether Solara and her kind will become beloved members of our families or cautionary tales of technological overreach remains to be seen.

In the meantime, as Solara’s creators bask in the glow of their latest innovation (and maybe a bit of literal sunlight), the rest of us might do well to remember this: while humanoids can offer support, companionship, and even a bit of emotional intelligence, there is still something to be said for the messy, unpredictable, and wonderfully imperfect world of human relationships. 

After all, when the sun sets on Techville, and the neon lights flicker to life, it is not just the humanoids that need recharging. We humans could use a break too — preferably with a bit of humor, a dash of irony, and maybe, just maybe, some time away from our solar-powered spouses.

Rafael Hernandez de Santiago, viscount of Espes, is a Spanish national residing in Saudi Arabia and working at the Gulf Research Center.

 

Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do not necessarily reflect Arab News' point of view

US sending Israel 20,000 assault rifles that Biden had delayed, say sources

Updated 1 min 38 sec ago
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US sending Israel 20,000 assault rifles that Biden had delayed, say sources

US sending Israel 20,000 assault rifles that Biden had delayed, say sources
The rifle sale is a small transaction next to the billions of dollars worth of weapons that Washington supplies to Israel
The March 6 congressional notification said the US government had taken into account “political, military, economic, human rights, and arms control considerations“

WASHINGTON: The Trump administration moved forward with the sale of more than 20,000 US-made assault rifles to Israel last month, according to a document seen by Reuters and a source familiar with the matter, pushing ahead with a sale that the administration of former president Joe Biden had delayed over concerns they could be used by extremist Israeli settlers.
The State Department sent a notification to Congress on March 6 for the $24 million sale, saying the end user would be the Israeli National Police, according to the document.
The rifle sale is a small transaction next to the billions of dollars worth of weapons that Washington supplies to Israel. But it drew attention when the Biden administration delayed the sale over concerns that the weapons could end up in the hands of Israeli settlers, some of whom have carried out attacks on Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
The Biden administration has imposed sanctions on individuals and entities accused of committing violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, which has seen a rise in settler attacks on Palestinians.
On his first day in office on January 20, Trump issued an executive order rescinding US sanctions on Israeli settlers in a reversal of US policy. Since then, his administration has approved the sale of billions of dollars worth of weapons to Israel.
The March 6 congressional notification said the US government had taken into account “political, military, economic, human rights, and arms control considerations.”
The State Department did not respond to a request for comment when asked if the administration sought assurances from Israel on the use of the weapons.

CLOSE TIES
Since a 1967 Middle East war, Israel has occupied the West Bank, which Palestinians want as the core of an independent state, and has built settlements that most countries deem illegal. Israel disputes this, citing historical and biblical ties to the land.
Settler violence had been on the rise prior to the eruption of the Gaza war, and has worsened since the conflict began over a year ago.
Trump has forged close ties to Netanyahu, pledging to back Israel in its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. His administration has in some cases pushed ahead with Israel arms sales despite requests from Democratic lawmakers that the sales be paused until they received more information.
The US Senate on Thursday overwhelmingly rejected a bid to block $8.8 billion in arms sales to Israel over human rights concerns, voting 82-15 and 83-15 to reject two resolutions of disapproval over sales of massive bombs and other offensive military equipment.
The resolutions were offered by Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, an independent who caucuses with Democrats.
The rifle sale had been put on hold after Democratic lawmakers objected and sought information on how Israel was going to use them. The congressional committees eventually cleared the sale but the Biden administration kept the hold in place.
The latest episode in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict began with a Hamas attack on Israeli communities on October 7, 2023 with gunmen killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel’s campaign has so far killed more than 50,000 Palestinians, Gaza health authorities say.
Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a far-right member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, oversees the Israeli police force. The Times of Israel newspaper in November 2023 reported that his ministry has put “a heavy emphasis on arming civilian security squads” in the aftermath of October 7 attacks.

Everything I did was for my country, Duterte says via daughter

Everything I did was for my country, Duterte says via daughter
Updated 7 min 45 sec ago
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Everything I did was for my country, Duterte says via daughter

Everything I did was for my country, Duterte says via daughter
  • “Everything I did, I did for my country. (I don’t know) whether that statement is acceptable or not, but I want it out to the world,” said Sara, relaying her father’s words
  • The vice president would not be drawn as to whether this amounted to an admission of responsibility for the crimes her father is facing at the ICC

THE HAGUE: Philippine ex-president Rodrigo Duterte, facing International Criminal Court charges over his deadly narcotics crackdown, said “everything I did, I did for my country,” his daughter told reporters Friday.
Sara Duterte, who is also her country’s vice president, was briefing journalists at the detention center in The Hague after a long conversation with her father interned inside.
She also relayed that her father wants proceedings against him to move as quickly as possible, with the 80-year-old fearful of dying in custody.
“Everything I did, I did for my country. (I don’t know) whether that statement is acceptable or not, but I want it out to the world,” said Sara, relaying her father’s words.
The vice president would not be drawn as to whether this amounted to an admission of responsibility for the crimes her father is facing at the ICC.
It was the first reported comments from Rodrigo Duterte since he appeared tired and dazed at an initial appearance at the ICC, which he attended by videolink and barely spoke.
In a video posted when Duterte arrived in the Netherlands last month to face the charges, he had said “I will be responsible for all of this.”
Duterte stands accused of the crime against humanity of murder over his years-long campaign against drug users and dealers that rights groups said killed thousands.
In the prosecutor’s application for his arrest, he said Duterte’s alleged crimes were “part of a widespread and systematic attack directed against the civilian population in the Philippines.”
“Potentially tens of thousands of killings were perpetrated,” the prosecutor alleged of the campaign that targeted mostly poor men, often without proof they were linked to drugs.
In an interview with AFP earlier Friday, a lawyer for victims, Gilbert Andres, said loved-ones of those affected were seeking “truth and justice” from a potential trial.
The next hearing is scheduled for September 23, where the charges against him will be laid out, but Sara Duterte said her father was eager to get proceedings underway.
“He wants to go back to the Philippines. He said, ‘I am an old man. I can die anytime. But I want to die in my country’,” said Sara Duterte.


SABIC wins Edison Awards for innovations that are helping build a better world

SABIC wins Edison Awards for innovations that are helping build a better world
Updated 8 min 56 sec ago
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SABIC wins Edison Awards for innovations that are helping build a better world

SABIC wins Edison Awards for innovations that are helping build a better world

Despite the complex challenges on the world stage, SABIC continues to stand out with its innovative solutions for a sustainable future, creating solutions that benefit both humanity and business.

Honoring SABIC’s commitment toward innovation, the prestigious Edison Awards has recognized the company for an unprecedented six of its innovative solutions across three categories — Material Science, Green Energy Transition, and Clean Water, Food & Agriculture – demonstrating once again how innovation and collaboration remain core drivers of its growth strategy.

This is the fifth year in a row that SABIC’s solutions have been recognized by the Edison Awards, which honors the world’s most innovative new products, services, and business leaders.

SABIC won one gold, two silver, and three bronze awards.

In the Materials Science category, SABIC won four awards:  LNP WF0087N and WFB16NiQ compounds for smartphone middle frames that boost fire safety and signal performance; LEXAN LUX2289, the first ultra-white light-shielding material for headlight brackets; THERMOCOMP WFC061I, the first FR, laser-weldable thermoplastic for electric vehicle control units; and LNP ELCRES FST2734E, the first FST-compliant, sustainable, high-quality thermoplastic for railway interiors.

SABIC won an award each in the Green Energy Transition category for developing the world's first electrically powered steam cracking in partnership with BASF and Linde; and in the Clean Water, Food & Agriculture category for its unique, patented process that transforms by-product gypsum and CO2 into valuable agricultural products.

The company’s innovations are developed at its global network of innovation hubs, across the Middle East, Asia, the US and Europe.

Through these centers, SABIC develops groundbreaking technologies and market-focused solutions that address the world's evolving needs.  

With its TRUCIRCLE initiative, SABIC develops a variety of innovative applications used across the value chain.

The initiative encompasses the company’s circular materials and technologies, including certified circular polymers from chemical recycling of used plastic, certified bio-based renewable polymers, and more.

Moreover, SABIC is seeking to improve the overall sustainability of energy storage solutions enabled by its BLUEHERO initiative, which is designed to help accelerate the transition to electric power and support meeting global goals on climate change.

SABIC also emphasizes strengthened partnerships with Saudi universities through knowledge-sharing initiatives that build their capabilities and drive groundbreaking ideas.

For instance, SABIC and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology have collaborated to develop a new technology for metalizing plastics that eliminates the use of a chemical that is classified as a substance of very high concern by the EU.

SABIC Agri-Nutrients is also bringing differentiated bio-enhanced fertilizer products to the market.

Its portfolio includes biologically enhanced urea fertilizer powered by BiOWiSH, which has the potential for lower greenhouse gas emissions than conventional urea and for increased sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide into the soil.


Turkiye says any Ukraine peace deal hard to digest — but better than more death

Turkiye says any Ukraine peace deal hard to digest — but better than more death
Updated 39 min 46 sec ago
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Turkiye says any Ukraine peace deal hard to digest — but better than more death

Turkiye says any Ukraine peace deal hard to digest — but better than more death
  • Fidan said Turkiye supported a US initiative to seek an end to the war in Ukraine
  • The sides remained a “little bit far away” from reaching a deal

BRUSSELS: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told Reuters on Friday that any potential peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia would be “difficult to digest” but would still be better than the alternative of more death and destruction.
Turkiye, a NATO member, has maintained cordial ties with both Kyiv and Moscow since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It has voiced support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and provided it with military help, while opposing sanctions on Russia.
In an interview on the sidelines of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels, Fidan said Turkiye supported a US initiative to seek an end to the war in Ukraine, but that the sides remained a “little bit far away” from reaching a deal.
“It will be extremely difficult to digest any proposal,” Fidan said. “But when we look at the other option, which is more death and destruction, I think whatever the conditions that we have... will be more reasonable” than the alternative.
US President Donald Trump “is finally following an agenda to stop the war,” he added.
Asked about potential security guarantees for Ukraine, Fidan said Europe could not provide them on its own without US support, but added that a deterrence factor was needed for the fighting not to restart.
“There is a huge effort to get the American side again to engage in security support to Ukraine,” he said, referring to recent talks among European states.
He added that “we should expect” that all sides including Russia would honor any ultimate agreement.
The prospect of ending the war has heightened Turkiye’s role in regional security, making it a key potential partner in the restructuring of Europe’s security architecture, as European powers scramble to bolster their own defenses and seek guarantees for Ukraine under any forthcoming peace deal.
Kyiv has said Turkiye, with the second largest army in NATO, would be an important guarantor for security. Ankara has said it would consider joining a peace initiative on the ground, though it has said details of such a mission remain unclear.
Fidan repeated Turkiye’s offer to host Russia and Ukraine for possible peace talks, after having hosted initial talks in 2022.

US SANCTIONS
Asked about Trump’s dramatic shift in US transatlantic security policies, including closer ties with Russia, Fidan said this could be an opportunity for Europe to be more independent after its “huge dependency” on the United States since the Cold War.
“If we see that the main actors are not hostile anymore (and are) having some kind of cooperation, I think the mentality that we have inherited from the Cold War, which was based on the hostility between mainly the United States and Russia will create a huge change,” he said.
Fidan, who met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the NATO summit after having visited him in Washington last month, also said he was hopeful that Trump would find a solution to end years-long US sanctions on Turkiye’s defense industry.
The so-called CAATSA sanctions were applied after Turkiye acquired Russian S-400 defense systems in 2019, also resulting in the country’s removal from an F-35 fighter jet development and procurement system.
The sanctions “should be corrected,” Fidan said. “I think Mr. Trump, with his problem-solving techniques and his team, will be able to come up with some sort of solution.”


Medecins Sans Frontieres ‘appalled’ by second staff member killed in Gaza within weeks

Medecins Sans Frontieres ‘appalled’ by second staff member killed in Gaza within weeks
Updated 48 min 53 sec ago
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Medecins Sans Frontieres ‘appalled’ by second staff member killed in Gaza within weeks

Medecins Sans Frontieres ‘appalled’ by second staff member killed in Gaza within weeks
  • Hussam Al Loulou died in the strike on Apr. 1 in central Gaza

GENEVA: Global medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres said on Friday it was appalled and saddened by the killing of one of its staff by an air strike in Gaza, the second within two weeks.


Hussam Al Loulou died in the strike on Apr. 1 in central Gaza, alongside his wife and 28-year-old daughter, the organization said.