If we’re spooked by a ‘shopbot’, we’re definitely not ready for NHS droids | Stuart Heritage

Customers have been unnerved by a robot assistant – so why does the government think we will trust helpline automatons when we’re sick?

In news that will come as absolutely no surprise to anyone at all, robots are terrifying and definitely not to be trusted. Yes, all robots. Officially, there is no job in the world menial enough to stop robots from giving people the heebie-jeebies.

Take Fabio the shopbot, for example. On paper, shopbot was your classic lovable helper robot. Visually, he was a cross between a Cyberman and the kid from AI; a beaming, plastic, legless dildo with an immovable grin and two infinitely empty holes for eyes. His job was simple – all he had to do was simply mill around the flagship branch of Scottish supermarket Margiotta, helping out customers whenever they looked lost.

Maybe we’ll ignore all our fears about being forced into slavery by a superior intellect that is incapable of emotion

Related: Ban on killer robots urgently needed, say scientists

Continue reading... January 22, 2018 at 07:48PM