います and あります usage

Question

I just learned about: います and あります.

I know I should use います for people and moving things and あります for plants and inanimate things.

I have two doubts:

• Which one should I use with "dead body". For example: "Is there a dead body inside the room?"
• What about robots or a non living thing with AI?

Answer 1

Basically it depends on how the speaker feels. However, I think we usually say:

• 死体があります。
• ロボットがいます。 if it looks like it has a mind of its own.
• ロボットがあります。 if it is an industrial robot without a mind.
• 車がいます。 if it is being driven by a human.
• 車があります。 when we talk about cars in general.
• 人工知能（AI）があります。 if it doesn't have anything visual, auditory or physical.
• コンピュータのソフトウェアがあります。
• ゲームのキャラクターがいます。 if it is controlled by computer software.
• 細菌/ウイルス/コンピュータウイルスがいます。 when we talk about someone's symptoms.
• 細菌/ウイルス/コンピュータウイルスがあります。
• ゾンビがいます。
• 幽霊がいます。

Answer 2

According to a quick google search, and agreeing with my thoughts, you should say "死体があります" for dead body, but you would say "死んだ人がいます" (if you like zombies).

For robots and AI, well, I guess います is acceptable, provided it's like a living thing (such as an aibo). I doubt you'd say it for a clever car, unless it's KITT from the Knight Rider… To sum up, it's quite subjective in this case.

Answer 3

If you said: there is a fish that is died on the table。

います or あります。

例：机に魚がいます。　（でも魚は死んだ。）