Coexistence Challenges in the AI Era: Social Robots and Human Networks

The rapid integration of social robots into everyday life in China is transforming human social networks, creating unprecedented “coexistence dilemmas” that blend opportunities for companionship with significant ethical challenges. This study examines the emergence of social robots as quasi-human actors, their capacity to engage in emotional and social interactions, and the resulting tensions with established interpersonal norms. Drawing on the Chinese policy context and ethical theories—including virtue ethics, responsibility ethics, and the ethics of care—the paper analyzes four core issues: anthropomorphic misalignment, privacy and data security risks, ambiguity in responsibility attribution, and emotional manipulation. Case studies such as Xiaoice illustrate how design choices, corporate practices, and regulatory gaps influence these challenges. The study proposes a multi-level ethical framework that combines human-centered design principles, robust accountability mechanisms, cultural sensitivity, and user education to ensure that social robots enhance rather than erode human relationships. By aligning technological innovation with ethical governance, this framework aims to guide the harmonious integration of social robots into China’s evolving socio-technical landscape.