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  • Do computers have feelings?

  • This is News Review from BBC Learning English.

  • I'm Neil. And I'm Sian. A Google engineer has said that one

  • of the company's artificial intelligence systems might have its own feelings.

  • More about that coming up.

  • But remember there's a quiz on our website where you can test yourself

  • on the words and phrases from today's programme.

  • Now, back to the story

  • Machines with feelings.

  • They're a favourite of science fiction. Now a Google engineer claims

  • one of the company's artificial intelligence systems is sentient.

  • Meaning it has feelings. Blake Lemoine says

  • the Lamda system is not only capable of having natural conversations,

  • but also has desires which should be respected.

  • But Google has strongly rejected the idea.

  • OK, Sian, you've been looking at the headlines.

  • What have you got? OK, we have 'come to life',

  • 'mind of its own', and 'taken in by'. This is NewsReview from BBC

  • Learning English.

  • Let's have a look at our first headline.

  • This one is from the Washington Post.

  • The expression we are looking at here is 'come to life'.

  • Now, that's quite straightforward, isn't it, Sian?

  • Something that wasn't alive is then alive.

  • Like Frankenstein's monster.

  • Yeah, on one level, that's correct.

  • So in this headline the expression 'come to life' is used literally,

  • but often, it's not.

  • No, and in that case we use it to describe things that become more real,

  • or a more exciting. You've got an example.

  • Yes. So recently,

  • I went to a party.

  • It was very boring.

  • Nothing was happening.

  • Then Neil arrived, started dancing.

  • The whole party came to life.

  • OK. Great example.

  • You have got another one about your home town which is a bit boring.

  • Most of the year it's very boring.

  • Nothing much happens. But in the summer.

  • We have festivals at the weekends, and the whole town comes to life.

  • OK, let's have a look at that again.

  • Let's have a look at our next headline.

  • This one is from AXIOS.

  • The expression is 'a mind of its own'.

  • This is interesting because usually we use it to talk

  • about things that are obviously not alive.

  • So machines or objects. And we use it to say that they are difficult to control.

  • Yeah. So you know, in the supermarket, you get the trolley.

  • The one that. You can't push in this direction.

  • It will only go in that direction.

  • It's got a mind of its own.

  • Exactly. Or the coffee machine.

  • Ah, the where you press for the coffee,

  • but only hot water comes out.

  • Exactly. It's got a mind of its own.

  • Can we use this to talk about people?

  • Yeah, we can use it to describe people who make their own decisions.

  • They don't do what is expected of them.

  • So they have a mind of their own.

  • Let's take a look at that one more time.

  • OK, Sian. Our next headline, please.

  • This one is from the Guardian:

  • We are looking at 'taken in by something'.

  • So, when you are taken in by something,

  • you are made to believe it's true -

  • even though it isn't. So you are tricked by something.

  • So the headline here is saying it's very normal to be tricked by machines.

  • I've got an example,

  • Sian, have you ever received one of those emails asking

  • for your bank details?

  • The ones that say you'll win hundreds of pounds, thousands of pounds.

  • Yeah, one of those. Well, don't get taken in by it.

  • Lots of people do get taken in by these tricks, and

  • that's normally how we use it. 'You get'

  • or 'you are' taken in by something. Not 'something takes you in'.

  • So, normally it's used in the passive form.

  • That's right. And you can also get taken in by a person,

  • someone who is often quite charming.

  • Like you Neil. Oh, thank you very much. But, don't worry,

  • I'm not trying to trick you. Let's have another look.

  • We've had 'come to life',

  • 'mind of its own' and 'taken in by'.

  • And 'come to life' can mean 'become alive or become more exciting'.

  • If something has a mind of its own.

  • It's hard to control.

  • And if you're taken in by something, you're tricked by it.

  • If you'd like your English to come to life,

  • then you know where to go. Visit our website at bbclearningenglish.com.

  • Thanks for joining us, and goodbye. Goodbye.

Do computers have feelings?

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