According to a recent report from the Associated Press, a group of humanoid robots gathered at a press conference organized by the United Nations International Telecommunication Union (ITU). This unique event aimed to provoke discussions about the future of artificial intelligence and its potential impact on society.
The nine robots were positioned alongside their creators at a podium in Geneva, Switzerland, marking what was claimed to be the world’s first press conference with humanoid social robots. Among them was Sophia, an innovation ambassador for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Grace, described as a healthcare robot, and Desdemona, a rock star robot. Two other robots, Geminoid and Nadine, closely resembled their human creators.
The purpose of this event at the AI for Good Global Summit was not only to showcase the capabilities of these robots but also to highlight their limitations and explore how they could contribute to achieving the UN’s sustainable development goals. The conference featured presentations from the creators or peers of these robots and allowed reporters to ask questions directly to them.
However, it is important to note that while these robots made bold statements during the press conference – claiming they could be more efficient leaders than humans without taking away jobs or staging rebellions – it remains unclear how much of their responses were written or programmed by humans.
The summit aimed to emphasize “human-machine collaboration,” with some of these robots capable of producing pre-programmed responses. For instance, Sophia relies on responses written by a team of writers at Hanson Robotics. Reporters were instructed to speak slowly and clearly when addressing the bots and any delays in responses were attributed to internet connection issues rather than limitations on behalf of the robots themselves. Nevertheless, there were still instances of awkward pauses, audio problems, and inconsistent or stilted responses.
This event highlighted ongoing debates surrounding AI systems’ rapid advancement since last year’s launch of ChatGPT – a chatbot with advanced language comprehension abilities. While popular tech products like Apple’s Siri have been utilizing voice recognition technology to respond to simple human queries for years, ChatGPT’s capabilities have sparked global discussions about the implications of AI systems.
The press conference organized by the ITU served as a platform to explore the potential of humanoid robots and their role in society. It also shed light on the challenges and limitations that arise with this technology. As AI continues to advance, it is crucial to carefully consider its impact on various aspects of our lives, including employment, leadership, and social dynamics.
According to sources familiar with the matter, “humanoid robots say they could be better leaders but will not rebel against human creators.” This event showcased both the exciting possibilities and important considerations surrounding artificial intelligence and robotics.
Source: (AP)(https://www.pahomepage.com/news/international/ap-humanoid-robots-say-they-could-be-better-leaders-but-will-not-rebel-against-human-creators/amp/)
