'Please do not switch me off!' People heed begging robot

Of the 43 people who heard Nao beg to stay online, 13 chose to listen and did not turn him off, according to the study. Some merciful participants said they felt sorry for Nao and his fear of the void. Others reported that they did not want to act against Nao's will. And while the majority of people turned Nao off despite his protests, those people hesitated to do so, waiting on average more than twice as long as people who were in tests where Nao did not make its plea. The study builds on existing research that shows humans are inclined to treat electronic media as living beings.