Could artificial intelligence make humans more like robots?

Wednesday 02 September 2026 - 18:15

By: Azzat Manal

Could artificial intelligence make humans more like robots?

The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence is changing more than the way people complete tasks or access services. Researchers are increasingly examining whether frequent interaction with AI systems could also influence how people communicate, behave and perceive themselves.

A new theoretical study published in AI & Society suggests that repeated interactions with chatbots and AI-powered customer-service systems could gradually encourage users to adopt communication styles that are easier for machines to process. Over time, this adaptation could potentially make human communication more structured, predictable and less spontaneous.

The researchers describe this possible phenomenon as "robotoid humanness," referring to the idea that as machines become increasingly human-like in their interactions, people may also begin to adopt certain characteristics associated with AI communication.

Social robots and conversational systems are designed to imitate aspects of human interaction, including language patterns, emotional signals and conversational behavior. Their goal is often to create more natural interactions and influence how users respond both emotionally and cognitively.

According to the researchers, this relationship can work in both directions. As AI systems adapt their responses to individual users, people may also adjust their own behavior based on the way the technology responds to them. This creates a continuous feedback loop in which humans and machines gradually adapt to one another.

The development of machine learning has made this process more sophisticated. Modern AI systems can analyze previous interactions, remember certain information and adjust their responses according to a user's communication style and preferences. As a result, the distinction between interacting with a machine and communicating with a person can sometimes become less obvious.

The potential impact may extend beyond language and communication. The researchers suggest that repeated interactions with AI could also influence people's perception of themselves. Human identity is partly shaped by feedback from others, and interactions with increasingly responsive digital systems could potentially become another source of that feedback.

Unlike human conversations, however, AI responses are generated through algorithms and statistical patterns. Users may therefore learn to repeat certain expressions, questions or communication strategies because they consistently produce faster or more useful responses from the system.

This does not necessarily mean that people will literally become "robots." Rather, the hypothesis suggests that prolonged exposure to highly structured technological environments could encourage certain communication habits, particularly when users learn to adapt their behavior to obtain better results from AI systems.

The researchers stress that the study is theoretical and has not directly demonstrated these effects in human participants. Long-term experimental research would be needed to determine whether regular interaction with AI actually produces measurable changes in communication patterns, behavior or self-perception.

Nevertheless, the hypothesis raises an important question about the growing presence of artificial intelligence in everyday life. As chatbots, virtual assistants and social robots become increasingly common, their influence may extend beyond convenience and productivity to the way people interact with one another.

Understanding this relationship will become increasingly important as AI becomes a routine part of communication. The challenge may not simply be teaching machines to behave more like humans, but also ensuring that humans retain the spontaneity, individuality and emotional complexity that distinguish human interaction from automated communication.