The rough grass, heather and shruby hills and moors of Scotland. The bogs, the wet green grass lowlands to the rocks and scrub of the wild and stoney hills, these have been the land of conflict, battles, fights, romance and love. The Poet, Robert Burns, who died over two centuries ago summed up the romance and battles the Scots embraced.  Romance is so central to the Scottish being. What happens when the traditional life of romance in Scotland meets with the upstart of technology? The meeting of Artificial Intelligence with traditional romance and dating.

Artificial Intelligence is relatively new. In the short time AI has been around, these algorithms have been trained to mimic human relationships. There was only a short change in direction to the creation of Artificially Intelligent lovers and companions. These artificial creations are now touted as solutions to loneliness. They could have the ability to offer companionship to those who do not have the opportunity, or ability to create a relationship with a real person. They have become the product of our connected, but isolated world.

For many Scottish people an AI companion would be ideal. Although Scotland has large cities, there are areas of Scotland and the Islands which are sparsely populated. These rural areas are also poorly connected to other communities, the road infrastructure being affected by the vagaries of the weather. Living in these areas can be isolating with few opportunities of meeting and dating. This is where a silicon based, friend can offer some sort of friendship and conversation. This conversation, either verbal or written, could provide a basic form of a loving and romantic relationship. Yes, it is pretty easy to understand the appeal of a semiconductor partner, someone who will listen to you and respond intelligently, and especially something who adapts to your character requirements.

Is this true love? Many my balk at love over the wire. They would argue that true love is two humans sharing the lives, complete with all the nuances of a human relationship, good and bad. They would argue that an algorithm held in silicon chips would not be able to compete with the complexity of a real human interaction. Can it be programmed to replicate real human interactions? Could it understand human emotions? Or is it a simulation at a shallow level? I would argue that with sufficient training from large datasets, an AI companion would be indistinguishable from a remote real companion.

The idea of an AI Kupid companion also begs the question; what is real love? Is it the feeling of being understood and intensely valued? An AI would change its behaviour, learning from the conversations it is having with its suitors.  The machine would adapt, and a meaningful and lasting relationship could be formed.  Maybe this is not possible, a love and relationship are formed in experiences shared, and shared with a community of friends. Can an AI achieve this interaction without the community?

The correct question to ask is what is real love? Is it the feeling of being understood and valued? If it is, then an AI with the ability to learn and adapt would fulfil need of love in some people. Alternatively, is real love rooted in shared experiences and connections? In the Highlands, the community ties and shared friends and traditions run deep, would an AI be able to create this community.

Let us look at romance. In Scottish communities, love is not confined to the couple, it is all about family, friends, workplace and community. Love and marriage are a community affair. It is not about the two principal characters. Love must navigate the community. An AI friend would not be able to participate in these community experiences. It would not have the past histories and shared experiences to integrate with your lived life.

Anyway, is this relevant. AI friends aren’t there to completely replace relationships with real people. They are often a temporary arrangement. A stepping stone in building confidence. Leaning how to interact with people, asking the correct questions and replying.  They are also useful when there is a break in a relationship, or you are away on a work assignment. So, to recap, they provide solace when you are lonely and want some company. They can also provide a sounding board to practice your pickup lines.

Science fiction has much to say about AI relationships with gendered androids. These stories questioning our identity and relationships with others. What is love? What is our identity and ultimately what is humanity? Movies such as ‘Ex Machina’ show the unsettling interactions between people and Artificial Intelligence. The movie ‘Her’ digs deep into emotional bond with a digital intelligence. These stories reflect our hopes and fears about technology. They offer glimpses of what may be possible in the future.

Another question we must ask, would AI be able to cope with different cultural identities? Scotland has romance stories which are created from its history and rugged beauty. How would an Artificial intelligence cope with these scenes. Would it make sense of the rugged moorlands, the grouse and the sound of the bagpipes. Could it make sense of the Scottish dialect and humour?

Technology has a way around this.  Developers could design an AI which have been trained on a wide range of societal norms, including the Highland Scots. It is not farfetched to imagine an AI conversing in a Scottish accent, quoting poetry from Robert Burns, and providing a delightful commentary around a ruined castle. This may not be love, but the familiarity in the conversation would provide a rock-solid foundation to a romantic relationship. If you want more details then I suggest you check it there on this technology driven AI dating site.

Not all people will be able to get on with AI companions. Some people would treat them with scepticism. This would particularly be the case with the older generations, set in their ways. The younger generation, brought up with smartphones and dating apps, would blend their life into exploring the potential of a digital friend.

There are other dangers, like any new technology, would you become dependent on it. Would you use the technology to avoid meeting people and avoiding real life relationships. There are also concerns about privacy. Your conversations are being relayed to a third party. What are they doing with this information? Is it being used to train the AI?  Is the data secure? What people and end entities have access to it? How is it being used to target advertising. Security of your data and conversations in very important. Check the privacy statements.

There is one certainty, the interaction of technology and humans in relationships is just beginning. It is well worth having the conversation, so we can approach these new dating scenarios with our eyes open. Will your next love be another human person, or will it be a digital love? Will you mix and match your loves, depending on circumstances.  Maybe you will use a digital entity for a bit of a laugh or try out some new lines in preparation for a real-life date.