SINGAPORE – The restaurant staff who know you by name, the adjustments to the menu the kitchen makes because of your food restrictions, the extra wok hei in your noodles because the chef knows you like it that way – the pleasure of dining out is all about warmth, of being taken care of.

In this scenario, there seems no place for cold, analytical artificial intelligence (AI), the big thing that is changing the way people shop, get healthcare, play online games and manage their homes.

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