Anthropomorphism occurs when we attribute human characteristics to non-human entities like animals or machines. Chatbots, such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot, encourage this by imitating human language to communicate with us, going beyond using mere familiar words and phrases to adopt human patterns of communication. By doing this, they are able to hold contextualised, coherent conversations, and can even show emotions like humour and empathy.

These systems use language that aims to make interaction with them feel natural, fluent and accessible. It facilitates their use in different situations, from customer service to education and entertainment.

Until now, language was considered to be a uniquely human ability. However, advances in generative artificial intelligence (AI), which powers these chatbots, are forcing us to reconsider this idea.

One of the most distinctive traits of human language is subjectivity, which manifests in words or expressions that convey emotional nuance, as well as the expression of personal opinions. It also includes forming opinions about events, and the use of contextual or cultural elements.

One typical feature of human subjectivity in language is the use of personal pronouns. The first person – “I” or “we” – allows us to express personal thoughts and experiences. The second person – “you” – engages with the other person,........

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