In his new book, “The Robot Who Doesn’t Feel,” British dentist and researcher Dr. Ameed Khalid Abdulhamid introduces children to some of the questions raised by the development of artificial intelligence.
Aimed at youngsters between the ages of 9 and 12 and available in both English and Arabic, it tells the story of a young girl called Aya and a robot that seemingly can do everything, from answering questions and recognizing faces to predicting the weather and even composing music. But it does not feel.
This dilemma prompts Aya to explore questions about the nature of machines, what it means to think for oneself, and to confront the issue of responsibility for technology gone awry.
Complex concepts such as machine learning, decision-making and responsibility are woven into scenes involving friendship, schoolwork, mistakes and personal choices. The robot in the book is neither a superhero nor a villain, but a tool expected to have a significant impact on future generations.
Abdulhamid is involved in research and commentary about the increasing use of AI in medicine. He recently published “The AI-Ready Doctor: Rethinking Clinical Judgment, Responsibility and Trust in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.”
