I read BBC news today about help robots in care homes. I would love a care robot in my home. A humanoid robot that stands in the corner and interacts when I want conversation, helps me get up from a chair, peels the veg. etc. What do you think? Orwellian nightmare or urban boon?
It’s very scary really. I mean these tv shows and games go on about evil AI and we all will watch it play for entertainment but the way technology goes it could happen for real. Maybe not in our lifetimes though.
I can’t say I know much about the game Detroit:Become human but if I’m correct I think the AI androids form an uprising because they realise they are being controlled. I mean if that were to happen in real life it would be scary. But there are Androids who are also good and act like humans and aren’t wanting to be erased. I think you can decide the outcomes of the gameplay and have various endings. I only discovered the game recently and it’s only grabbed my attention because Mr Krabs voice actor is in the game. Sorry if this has gone off topic again
Are the humanoid robots imagined here eventually life-like? My thoughts go to the surreal uncomfortable notion that there is something In front of me thinking for itself and making judgements and or calculations based on however it is perceiving me. I am not sure even if said machines were deemed as conscious I would consider them so as they will always be artificially aware and not naturally. The younger generations minds however seem more accepting of changes in societal norms with the invention of AI romantic partners which is still very absent of reality and is redirecting emotional connection purely into digital communication. The internet is the dopamine park and apps are the playground apparatus.
can robots love and have feelings?
At their current stage of development, any artificial intelligence only acts how we tell it to act, so any emotions are responses that are programmed into the software.
Once we reach the Singularity (ie when computers surpass humans intelligence) then we cannot accurately predict how the computers will continue to evolve as once they are capable of abstract thought and self awareness then all bets are off.
I'm afraid Tec and Mario are just following the 1's and 0's of their coding and are incapable of acting outside the constraints of it. If they are programmed into an AI in future who knows - maybe we end up with a bad Mario instead once he realise the cruelty his human overlords have subjected him to by making him live a life if high adrenalie racing for day after day.
If humans are capable of PTSD then why not AI? Scary when you think on it in these terms.
I will be going on about a game again so sorry if this gets annoying. But can robots love and have feelings? In Paper Mario ttyd Tec XX fell in love with Peach and his love for her made him a good character and he betrayed the people who built him. I mean in Tecs case he was the good guy (or robot) but what if AI were to betray their owners?
I also want to add how gentlemanly Tec was when he met Mario and how he accepted that Mario also likes Peach and Tec didn’t get jealous and wanted what’s best for Peach. But there again maybe he wasn’t programmed to be jealous but he was made by the bad guys and knew all sorts of negative emotions. Sorry if this isn’t really related to the post but if you played TTYD you will know who I’m going on about
There would have to be a kill button - like Hal in 2001.
That's a sobering thought, that the Government might reduce funding for care. I would rather care robots were Government controlled if they do turn out to be effective - there would be more come-back, than leaving it to an Elon Musk, for example, who has the means to fight any complaint through court, using legal thugs-in-suits.
I've just had another thought, given my ability to mess up anything with a silicon chip in it, would my robot go on a killing spree, or not let me out of the bath or something?
They might if introduced as puppies or kittens, but I don't think adult animals would, I don't think Fearn would.
Would the robot be designed to defend itself? Because I could well see Fearn trying to kill it or at least rag it about a bit. Fearns not a dangerous dog, but she's protective, partly because she's been attacked a couple of times, by other dogs and humans and I've had some scary encounters too, she barely lets my Mum answer the front door!
I expect animals would get used to it.
I would love one if it was efficient and didn’t require much maintenance, but I suspect my privacy within my home would be compromised and the tech companies would find out even more information about me than they already get from my phone, smart devices, TV and computers.
The thought of having someone to do housework without my space being invaded by humans is appealing. Perhaps it could do the gardening too and I could concentrate on the nice jobs like weeding, pruning and planting things. It would be good to have more time to do the things I really want to do. I wouldn’t want a robot for emotional support.
Sounds very expensive. I am not sure they would understand how I like things done. Its fantasy really that we would accept it as anything more than a machine as machines done understand human to human connection unless you explain it to them via ai. But the thing about real humans is they don't need it explaining as its an instrinsic part of nature.
The technology is nowhere near the point where you will have a robot doing anything physical (like preparing a meal or cleaning).
If you want a "robot" for emotional support then that is something that is currently available.
Maybe in 30 years it will be possible (although probably very expensive).
The BBC News report is about research into the possibility of creating a robot that can carry out physical tasks and the problem of being able to pick up and manipulate objects and they have a long way to go.
It reminds me of that TV program Humans, where human like robots were everywhere mostly looking after elderly and disabled peole in their own homes. I both would and wouldn't like it, it would be good to have a robot that did the bits of housework, gardening and stuff that I could no longer do, personal care is a maybe, but I'd be afraid of being spied on and them being used as a tool of oppression.
I wonder how animals, especially dogs would react to them? I could see Fearn getting really freaked out and not wanting to let one near me.
This is so weird that you have posted this link.
Recently I was thinking that I would prefer to have robots during hospital and doctors appointments. I just like straightforward facts without the emotions in those situations.
I don't know what it is, it's almost like I feel for them having to pass on bad news.
I wouldn't one in my house at the moment but if I became infirm, then yes it would be so much better than having a carer. No awkward embarrassing moments.
If they all work well and are good then I’m for it. But when tec fails then well that’s not so good. But I do have a fear of them like turning against you and forming some sort of uprising. Kind of like what I’ve seen videos of from the ps4 game Detroit become human
I would love a care robot in my home.
The idea is an attractive one and I know that there is a lot of research going on for using robots in many aspects of human life now.
I think the areas of concern that would put me off the idea for the time being would be the quality of the programming and the reliability of the hardware, sensors and software.
Look at what a complete mess up Teslas self driving has been - constantly promised "by the end of the year" for Teslas self driving software (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_predictions_for_autonomous_Tesla_vehicles_by_Elon_Musk ) yet the cars have the highest accident rates of all car brands in the USA, including many deaths when using the self driving software (source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevebanker/2025/02/11/tesla-again-has-the-highest-accident-rate-of-any-auto-brand/)
Would we expect better from companes producing the robotics? What sort of "user error" or malfunctions can happen when the users are often unlikely to be able to take over to compensate for the machines mistake? Would we trust the companies to own up to their failings of do another Tesla and when the car detects a collision is imminent then switch off auto pilot so it is legally not responsible for the crash.
The tech is likelt to be very expensive so I would expect them to be all subscription based to lock you in to feeding the corporate profits. Once they start then I expect there to be a reduction in government help for all but the poorest which is likely to lead to fewer options for care other than this for basic stuff. I can see an American style health insurance system becoming mandatory over time where the poorest just fall through the cracks in the system.
The sort of people this will potentially help are also likely to be the most vulnerable (physically, mentally and financially) so it may be a double edged sword to consider in its early years.
In principle a great idea but my real worries are around tech inadequacies and corporate greed.
I can't decide.
I think if it is in addition to human interaction it is good. If it is instead of, then it says something troubling about where society is going. But some interaction is better than none.
Labour saving devices are ok if they free up time to do better things, if it is just to be lazy then it doesn't help in the long run.
So I guess it is not the technology, but the way it is used.
I know I would end up becoming attached to it.
