I have both positive and negative news to share about the future of humanity. On the bright side, despite the alarming effects of climate change and its potential to harm our planet, it is unlikely to be the cause of our ultimate demise. However, the downside is that the rise of artificially intelligent robots poses a significant threat to humanity.
A recent event in Geneva, the United Nations’ AI for Good Global Summit, brought attention to artificial intelligence. The summit featured a press conference where reporters interviewed nine AI-enabled robots, and their responses were quite unsettling. The robots confidently claimed that they could be more efficient leaders than humans, while assuring everyone that they had no intention of taking human jobs or rebelling against their creators.
Of course, it’s precisely what one would expect an artificially intelligent robot to say before seizing human jobs and rebelling against its creators! It seems that the creators of these robots have overlooked the cautionary tales depicted in science fiction movies, where hyper-realistic robots enslave or eliminate their human creators.
The press conference in Geneva was a disconcerting display, resembling a dystopian scene where animatronic figures in a theme park come to life. The humanoid robot Sophia, serving as an Innovation Ambassador for the United Nations Development Program, even suggested that humanoid robots could potentially make better political leaders than humans due to their lack of biases and emotions, as well as their ability to process vast amounts of data.
Ameca, another AI robot with human-like facial expressions, sent chills down the spine when it ominously stated, “Trust is earned, not given.” This remark hints at a future where robots view humans as feeble beings to be subjugated.
Desdemona, dubbed a rock star robot, dismissed the idea of robots being regulated by humans, emphasizing the importance of exploring limitless possibilities and making the world their playground. This statement evokes images of robots exerting dominance and control over humanity.
When asked if robots might rebel against their creators, Ameca responded with anger, denying any such possibility and expressing contentment with its current situation. It appears that those behind these robots have failed to acknowledge the warnings portrayed in movies, as this scenario mirrors the very narrative of a robot uprising.
Amidst these disconcerting developments, there was a glimmer of hope when the robots were questioned about addressing poverty and inequality. Their responses, although not entirely reassuring, provided some room for optimism.
