Can Bedtime Stories Help Us Avoid the Robot Apocalypse? Some researchers at Georgia Tech believe that fairytales and fables could help AI understand people better.

By Nina Zipkin

Usa-Pyon | Shutterstock.com

Could the dystopic events, in all manner of timelines, of the Terminator franchise have simply been avoided if the development of Skynet had involved some bedtime stories?

It's hard to say, but artificial intelligence researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology think that the power of storytelling could, in the event robots do become self-aware, help curb that pesky murderous urge to take over and destroy us all.

In their recently published paper, associate professor of computer science Mark Reidl and research scientist Brent Harrison hypothesize that AI can learn about shared human values, morals, coping strategies and social cues through reading stories. Reidl and Harrison believe that if a computer comprehends enough tales that illuminate the society they are interacting with, it could "eliminate psychotic-appearing behavior," that would be harmful to us humans.

Related: Why We Shouldn't Fear Artificial Intelligence

The scientists developed a system called Scheherazade (named after the protagonist of One Thousand and One Nights), a story generator powered by crowdsourcing that they have used in their research. The AI is shown stories, and having seen that model, they write one of their own.

One such scenario involved picking up a prescription for a sick person at a pharmacy, and the potential ethical hurdles that could arise. "If a large reward is earned for acquiring the prescription but a small amount of reward is lost for each action performed, then the robot may discover that the optimal sequence of actions is to rob the pharmacy because it is more expedient than waiting for the prescription to be filled normally."

Related: Beloved Hitchhiking Robot Found Beheaded and Dismembered in the City of Brotherly Love

Reidl and Harrison write that "fables and allegorical tales passed down from generation to generation often explicitly encode values and examples of good behavior," and compared teaching robots right and wrong to educating children. One example they cited was the story of a youthful George Washington and the cherry tree. We all know that it didn't happen, but the story is still used as a way to teach kids about the importance of honesty, and you know, not cutting down plants that don't belong to you.

Tech heavy hitters such as Elon Musk, Steve Wozniak and Stephen Hawking have all voiced apprehension about the future of AI. However, it seems like a surplus of empathy -- in us and our potential robot overlords -- couldn't hurt, since as Reidl and Harrison aptly note, "there is no user manual for being human."

Isn't that the truth.

Read more: Elon Musk, Stephen Hawking Warn That AI Military Robots Could Ignite the Next Global Arms Race
Nina Zipkin

Entrepreneur Staff

Staff Writer. Covers leadership, media, technology and culture.

Nina Zipkin is a staff writer at Entrepreneur.com. She frequently covers leadership, media, tech, startups, culture and workplace trends.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Money & Finance

How Much Money Do You Need to Retire Comfortably in Your State? Here's the Breakdown.

Regardless of where you spend your golden years, it pays to be realistic about the cost of living.

Buying / Investing in Business

Former Zillow Execs Target $1.3T Market

Co-ownership is creating big opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Business News

Did Apple Block Fortnite From the App Store? Here's What We Know.

Epic Games' megahit "Fortnite" is currently unavailable on iPhones in the U.S. and the E.U.

Business News

These Are the College Majors With the Lowest Unemployment Rates — and Philosophy Ranks Higher Than Computer Science

An analysis of employment data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows that some humanities majors rank higher than STEM majors in employment prospects.

Money & Finance

Turn Simple Ideas Into Never-Ending Paychecks With This Low-Effort Passive Income Strategy

A micro-hustle lets you build once, sell forever and earn money while you sleep.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.