Humanlike

Humanlike is an adjective meaning resembling or characteristic of humans in appearance, behavior, or attributes. It is used to describe objects, agents, or phenomena that imitate human traits, such as facial expressions, speech patterns, or cognitive abilities.

Although related to humanoid and anthropomorphic, humanlike is distinct in emphasis. Humanoid typically refers to form or body shape; humanlike emphasizes resemblance in action or appearance, while anthropomorphic describes the attribution of human traits to non-human beings.

In technology and media, the aim of humanlike design is to improve interaction, engagement, or empathy. In robotics, humanlike robots may use human-like facial expressions, vocal prosody, and gesture to communicate with people. In virtual environments and video games, humanlike avatars attempt to mimic natural movement and social cues.

Evaluation relies on perceptual judgments and objective metrics such as expression accuracy, timing, and contextual appropriateness of responses. The uncanny valley concept notes that near-human resemblance can provoke discomfort, leading designers to reduce realism or to calibrate behavior rather than form.

Ethical and social considerations include the potential for deception, misrepresentation, and manipulation, as well as issues of privacy, consent, and bias in perception of humanlike agents as more trustworthy or competent than they are. Regulatory and professional guidelines are discussed in fields such as robotics, AI, and digital media.

In fiction and journalism, humanlike figures appear as androids, virtual assistants, or avatars to explore relationships between humans and machines, as well as questions about autonomy and personhood.