# AI Meets Austen: Towards Human-Robot Discussions of Literary Metaphor

**Authors:** Natalie Parde, Rodney D. Nielsen  
**arXiv:** [1904.03713](https://arxiv.org/abs/1904.03713)  
**Date:** 2019-04-07  
**Summary page:** https://www.summarizepaper.com/en/arxiv-id/1904.03713v1/

## Key points

- Artificial intelligence is transforming formal education
- Informal lifelong learning settings have been neglected in this field
- Natalie Parde and Rodney D. Nielsen present a proof-of-concept for an embodied book discussion companion
- The study involved 26 participants discussing Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice"
- Each participant rated their interactions with the robot highly
- Companion robots could serve as an entry point for promoting lifelong learning and cognitive exercise outside of formal educational settings
- The authors' work has been accepted at the 20th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED 2019)

## Summary

Artificial intelligence is transforming the landscape of formal education, with advancements in learning assessment, content generation, and instructional delivery. However, informal lifelong learning settings have been relatively neglected in this field. In an effort to address this gap, Natalie Parde and Rodney D. Nielsen present a proof-of-concept for an embodied book discussion companion that aims to stimulate conversations about creative metaphors in fiction literature. The study involved 26 participants who engaged with the robot across one or more sessions discussing Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice," with each participant rating their interactions highly. This finding suggests that companion robots could serve as an interesting entry point for promoting lifelong learning and cognitive exercise in future applications beyond formal educational settings. The authors' work has been accepted at the 20th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED 2019), indicating its potential significance in the field of AI-assisted education. This research highlights the potential of artificial intelligence to facilitate informal learning outside of traditional educational settings.