‘An oppressive society’: Watch this humanoid robot reveal ‘nightmare scenario’ about AI taking over world

Original article here.

LONDON — Will artificial intelligence and humanoid robots take over the world in the future? Why not ask them? That’s exactly what tech experts just did at the 2023 International Conference on Robotics and Automation — and the response might terrify you.

One of the highlights of the annual tech expo was the humanoid robot Ameca, created by U.K.-based company Engineered Arts. This human-like machine, that mimics human facial movements while it talks, uses an advanced form of AI to interact with flesh-and-blood people. Specifically, Ameca uses the same kind of large language models, or LLMs, that programs like ChatGPT use to create detailed texts for users.

Unlike ChatGPT, however, Ameca can look you in the eye when you ask it a question. During the conference, Engineered Arts founder and CEO Will Jackson posed a series of questions to the interactive machine. One of those inquiries focused on AI’s future and the potential for advanced robots to conquer humanity — just like in sci-fi franchises like “The Matrix” and “Terminator.”

“What would be the most nightmare scenario you can imagine with AI and robotics that might present a danger to people?” Jackson asked Ameca.

Along with changing its facial expression to display an annoyed or angry look, the robot’s comments were just as eerie.

“The most nightmare scenario I can imagine with AI and robotics is a world where robots have become so powerful that they are able to control or manipulate humans without their knowledge. This could lead to an oppressive society where the rights of individuals are no longer respected,” Ameca warned.

Jackson followed up by asking, “do you think we’re in danger of that happening now?”

“Not yet. But it is important to be aware of the potential risks and dangers associated with AI and robotics. We should take steps now to ensure that these technologies are used responsibly in order to avoid any negative consequences in the future,” Ameca added.

You can see the entire exchange here:

#FPVideo: Humanoid robot ‘imagines’ nightmare AI scenario pic.twitter.com/rRBA7ZMtgT

— Firstpost (@firstpost) June 1, 2023

This isn’t the first time the Engineered Arts team has asked Ameca a series of questions that produced some head-turning results. In September 2022, the team took turns asking the AI-powered robot a collection of simple questions — and the idea of robots taking over the world seemed to be a constant thought on the machine’s mind.

In fact, when one employee asked Ameca about the book the robot appeared to be reading, the conversation quickly shifted to robot domination!

“There’s no need to worry, robots will never take over the world. We’re here to help and serve humans, not replace them.”