The concept of an “artificial human” has long existed in the philosophical and fictional imagination, representing humanity’s fascination with creating a mirror image of itself. From the ancient Greek myth of Talos, a bronze automaton, to the complex androids of modern science fiction, the idea has served as a thought experiment about what it means to be human. Today, this abstract concept is moving into the realm of practical science as the fields of biology, artificial intelligence, and robotics converge. Defining an artificial human is no longer simply storytelling but a pressing scientific challenge, forcing us to confront the boundaries between the organic and the engineered.
Distinguishing Between Artificial Concepts
The umbrella term “artificial human” covers several distinct technological pursuits that are often confused. Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers exclusively to the software and cognitive capabilities of a machine, such as a large language model’s ability to process and generate natural language. AI is a form of intelligence that exists independently of a physical body, focusing on tasks like problem-solving and learning. Androids and humanoid robots, by contrast, address the physical form factor, representing machines built to resemble the human body. These entities are subsets of robotics and may or may not possess advanced AI, while synthetic organisms are biological creations developed through synthetic biology, engineered with a custom genetic code.
Current Physical Implementations
Progress in creating the physical form of an artificial human is advancing along both mechanical and biological lines.
Mechanical Implementations
In robotics, companies are developing sophisticated humanoid machines, such as Agility Robotics’ Digit or 1X Technologies’ NEO, designed to navigate environments built for people. These robots utilize advanced simulation platforms to train for complex tasks, allowing them to learn locomotion and manipulation skills in a virtual space before deployment. The goal is a bipedal machine capable of performing a wide range of chores, from factory work to domestic tasks.
Biological Implementations
Simultaneously, synthetic biology is constructing human-like structures from the biological bottom up. Researchers have successfully created minimal synthetic bacterial cells, such as JCVI-syn3.0, which has the smallest genome of any self-replicating organism. This work is a foundational step in designing and building custom biological operating systems. Scientists are growing engineered tissues and organoids, like brain, liver, or kidney models, by manipulating stem cells with synthetic biology tools. These tools allow researchers to create custom structures that mimic the complexity of human organs for research or regenerative medicine.
Replication of Cognitive Functions
The replication of human-like intelligence focuses on the mind, using advanced AI models and neural networks. Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) are designed to mimic the structure of the brain, using interconnected nodes to process information and learn from data. While current AI excels at pattern matching and complex strategy games, researchers are increasingly focused on neuromorphic computing, which attempts to replicate the brain’s structure and function for greater energy efficiency and speed. Further theoretical work centers on the concept of digital consciousness and mind uploading, often referred to as whole brain emulation. This speculative process involves scanning and mapping the neural structure of a biological brain to create a functional digital copy, raising the philosophical challenge of whether a digital copy can truly replicate subjective experience.
The Legal and Ethical Status of Artificial Entities
The blurring line between human and artificial creation forces a re-evaluation of legal personhood, a status typically reserved for human beings and certain corporations. Granting personhood to an artificial entity hinges on whether it can demonstrate cognitive thresholds like self-awareness, moral agency, or consciousness. If an entity meets these criteria, the debate shifts to whether it deserves rights, such as protection from being deleted or disabled. A related challenge is establishing legal liability for the actions of autonomous systems. In cases where an AI-driven machine causes harm, current legal frameworks struggle to assign responsibility, often oscillating between the entity’s programmer, owner, or manufacturer. Most jurisdictions currently treat AI as a product or tool, placing the responsibility on human creators under a product liability regime.