A new book suggests that artificial intelligence is moving beyond simply processing information and is starting to perceive the world through senses similar to those of humans. This development could change how both people and machines interact with and understand their surroundings.
In his book Perceptive Machines: The Future of Feeling AI and What It Means for Humanity, Professor Rocky Scopelliti explains how machines are starting to sense the world, not just process data from it. Technologies that copy sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste are being developed, and some are already being used.
“We are moving beyond artificial intelligence that thinks,” Scopelliti writes. “We are entering an era of intelligence that perceives.”
Synthetic Senses
These technologies were first applied in the medical field to help people with disabilities. For example, some AI systems can convert sound into touch, light, or movement, allowing deaf people to understand audio information in new ways. Researchers are developing retinal and neural implants to help restore sight to people who are blind. Another concept known as haptic technology allows people to feel touch from afar by recreating the sensation in real time.
Researchers are developing technologies that Scopelliti calls e-noses and e-tongues to mimic the sensations of smell and taste using digital systems. These tools turn signals from smells and tastes into data that can be studied, saved, and recreated. These sensations, which have been historically difficult to replicate, are now becoming programmable.
“For the first time in history, our senses are no longer confined to biology,” Scopelliti writes. “They can be synthetic, digitized, transmitted, and re-engineered.”
Scopelliti points out that these changes demonstrate that machines are moving from simply recording data to actually sensing the world around them. These technologies are beginning to blur the boundary between biological perception and machine interpretation.
The Impending Surveillance Problem
Today’s AI can predict how someone feels by analyzing their voice, facial expressions, or body language. New wearables and surrounding systems might soon be able to sense changes in mood, focus, or intention from very subtle signals. These tools could help doctors detect mental health risks early, help teachers notice when students lose focus, and enable workplaces to adjust to reduce cognitive overload.
The book also examines the risks associated with these new technologies. Scopelliti says that companies and AI systems are increasingly tracking and recording sensory and emotional data, raising new privacy and ethical concerns. Collecting emotional data raises ethical questions about who owns the information, how people can use it, and how others might misuse or manipulate it.
“As these signals are captured and analysed, new questions emerge,” Scopelliti writes. “Who owns your emotional state? Can your reactions be predicted, and influenced, without your knowledge? What happens when environments adapt to shape your behaviour in real time?”
These concerns are more than theoretical. AI can already track small changes in a person’s voice, skin conductance, or movement and use this data to personalize content and influence their decisions. Scopelliti gives examples of systems that have evolved from simple observation to actively shape people’s choices through this type of emotional data.
Protecting Perceptual Rights
Scopelliti introduces the idea of “perceptual rights” or protections meant to shield people from AI systems that can influence how we feel. He argues that whoever controls what we sense can also shape what we believe. “That makes perception the next frontier of power,” Scopelliti warns.
“We once built machines to extend our physical capabilities,” Scopelliti concludes. “Now we are building systems that extend, and potentially redefine, our senses.”
Austin Burgess is a writer and researcher with a background in sales, marketing, and data analytics. He holds an MBA, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, and a data analytics certification. His work focuses on breaking scientific developments, with an emphasis on emerging biology, cognitive neuroscience, and archaeological discoveries.