How and why do humans form relationships with AI? This question lies at the core of Assistant Professor Peter van der Putten’s research. While AI sparks fear—raising concerns about its impact on our place in the universe—it also fascinates us, offering glimpses into an unknown future.

But can we truly bond with AI? It’s one thing to feel attached to a humanoid robot or a robotic pet, but what about a simple wooden cube with a moving face? In his study Common Locus, Peter explored just that. The results might surprise you—and reveal more about human nature than you’d expect.

If you want to read more about the research project of Joost Mollen, Peter van der Putten, and Kate Darling: Bonding with a Couchsurfing Robot: The Impact of Common Locus on Human-Robot Bonding In-the-wild. ACM Transactions on Human-Robot Interaction. 12, 1, Article 8, March 2023.

More information about Peter can be found here: https://liacs.leidenuniv.nl/~puttenpwhvander/