Are technological advances in artificial intelligence getting to the point where humans are essentially in the early stages of programming the end of humanity at the hands of what we now consider to be just robotic minions? It’s been commonplace for decades that robots are replacing people in the manufacturing sector, and looking forward surgeons might be sweating a little more as C-3PO’s relatives start moving into the operating room. Being able to perform a complicated task is one thing, but will robots ever reach the point where they feel a sense of pride in what they’ve accomplished?
That ability to feel a true emotional response to a given task might be what saves mankind from a potential future filled with vengeance-seeking robotic overlords. As we continue to tiptoe through roboticist Masahiro Mori’s uncanny valley, scientists are still striving to create an artificial intelligent being that senses and displays true emotional states; one that can empathize, sympathize, care. And it’s that caring part that might keep the Destructo-Bots of the future from taking over the world – our friendly robo-pals won’t let them.
Story by Jay Moon
Sources
- Robots in Japan now have emotions
- Beware emotional robots: Giving feelings to artificial beings could backfire, study suggests
- Top 10 Hot Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technologies
- Artificially Intelligent Robot Predicts Its Own Future by Learning Like a Baby
- AI and robots could threaten your career within 5 years
