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There's this school of thought (in music production) about using drum machines that believes the absolute worst thing someone can do with them is try to make them sound like/be a replacement for a real drummer. Even when using samples of real drums, no matter how many variables (subtle or otherwise - pressure sensitivity, swing rhythm, playable pads, for example) there are, it will technically never sound like a human being for the simple fact that it isn't. Kind of in the same way, the only way to get a drummer to sound just like John Bonham is to dig him up and reanimate him long enough for a session.
In short, the idea is that (supposedly), anyone who strives to make a drum machine sound like a real drummer is a fool. That it will sound more natural if one keeps in mind that it most definitely is not.
Point being, why does a robot receptionist (or even sex toy) have to be made to look like as much like a living, breathing woman as possible? I don't mean it needs to look like R2D2, but if people really have to have one of those things, what's wrong with a big, funny, comfy pillow with whatever goddawfulness (a synthetic vagina?) they need to attach to sell it to people who would buy one.
I know the answer is the same as why SUVs need to have 8 cyliners instead of 4, but look how that's turned out.