uncanny valley
noun phrase

- used to refer to the unpleasant feeling that some people have when they see robots (= machines that can carry out actions automatically), or pictures of a human being created by a computer, that appear very similar to a living human

Cambridge Dictionary

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ORIGIN

Originally Scottish and northern English, “uncanny” first appeared in the 1590s in the sense of mischievous (spitzbübisch). By the late 18th century the meaning had become associated with mystery and the supernatural.

English also has the word canny, but canny and uncanny should not be interpreted as opposites. Canny, which first appeared in English in the 16th century, means “clever”, “shrewd”, or “prudent” — as in “a canny lawyer” or “a canny investment”.

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WHEN FAKE FEELS FREAKY

As technology advances, and robots and prosthetics become more humanlike in appearance, our response to them seems to follow an odd pattern. Making them too lifelike makes us uncomfortable. This discomfort is called the “uncanny valley” — a gulf between moderate affinity for humanlike robots and a revulsion for replicas that come too close to the real thing for comfort.

This feeling is amplified by movement. Immobile humanoid mannequins seem benign enough. Set them in motion, and they instantly become disturbing. Experiments that animated an android's smile made it seem sinister rather than joyful; paradoxically, the more lifelike the motion, the more unnatural it stands out.

Is the goal to create androids indistinguishable from humans? Probably not. The ideal may be intelligent machines that are clearly artificial, but to which we can relate. As we progress, the uncanny valley should help us intuitively shape technology to be comfortable, helpful versions of ourselves — similar but distinct — machines we recognize as different and still able to enjoy.

If you’re intrigued by this concept, check out The Uncanny Valley by Masahiro Mori

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SYNONYMS

bizarre, bone-chilling, creepy, disturbing, eerie, ghostly, hair-raising, horripilant, mysterious, mystifying, preternatural, scary, spooky, unearthly, bewildering, creepifying, discombobulating, disquieting, fishy, horror movie-like, inexplicable, mysterious, preternatural, rummy, spooky, supernal, supranormal, UNCANNY VALLEY, unearthly, woo woo, wtf

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SMUGGLE OWAD into a conversation, say something like:

“We can expect the UNCANNY VALLEY experience to be quite commonplace when AI agents become our personal assistants.”

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