Maybe they're studying it, but this isn't new. This is literally a major point/subject/part of the plot of West World, Detroit: Become Human, P0rtal, heck, even Big Hero 6, and any other "ai shows/mimics human sentience" story out there. Actually, this was the more or less the entire plot of that ikea commercial where the person put their old desk lamp out in the alley in the rain. And then the guy comes on and tells you "most of you are feeling sorry for this lamp. That is because you are crazy. This lamp cannot feel anything, and the new one is much better."
Humans are trained to respond signs of distress and show compassion. It's what we do. The ones who don't do this we either lock up in prisons or make the leaders of our major business and countries.
Humans are trained to respond signs of distress and show compassion. It's what we do. The ones who don't do this we either lock up in prisons or make the leaders of our major business and countries.