Wondering about it's (near) time-line. Like what's next. Today we have online free and subscribed access. It's used to help study and to replace (in a sense) one's own creativity (although no one really accepts the output without change do they?). Or even more interesting, some people use Chat Bots to deal with their worries or just random mental doodling. So then maybe next comes robots with built in or cloud access so we speak to an object. Will a robot disagree with it's chat partner? Will AI come up with a Eureka moment? Thinking, thinking on.
Maybe not quite on-topic, but I just read what seems to me a brilliant essay about AI from Marc Andreessen (tect venture capitalist). Chock full of links and well worth a read if you're interested. The title is: Why AI Will Save The World. https://pmarca.substack.com/p/why-ai-will-save-the-world
The thing about robots is they're going to cost on the order of a new house or buildinjg I suspect. Maybe a building complex. Ordinay people aren't going to own them. Corporations will, and will most likely have just a head and torso, mounted to a pedestal or something with wheels maybe, behind a counter for customers to talk to. Some arm gestures maybe, though so far robots have no spacial awareness. If they're gesturing and you're standing close, they'll bump into you and not know it. Plus the arms move like machines, with no sense that their movements are coordinated with the fake facial expressions (which are also completely robotic and detached form any supposed feeling in what they're saying). Watching them grimace in imitation of 'facial expressions' reminds me of this: More likely we'll see video monitors with friendly AI faces that talk to us. Also, have you seen robots trying to walk? Long way to go.
One of the main features at the NRA (nat'l restaurant assoc) show I just attended in Chicago was robotics. Robotic chefs, dishwashers, bartenders, expos... you name it. There must have been 30 booths featuring robots. It was more like a concept car showcase with very early technology that will probably never make it to production as is, but it's coming hard. And they've got the spatial awareness part down but probably too much down for safety reasons. They cease movement when surrounded by people, which is good, I guess, but restaurants will adapt and design to allow the machines to operate. I'll be the first to buy em when they get it right. The humans have had their shot and they suck at working. (And I moved this thread to the AI forum BTW)
I take it these aren't humanoid robots, but more like the ones that assemble cars on the production lines? That's a whole different matter and makes a lot more sense. I just don't think robots will ever be able to successfully seem human. And when I talk about them having spacial awareness, I'm talking about robots that can shake your hand (for real, not just go through the motions not knowing if your hand is there or not). Robots are fine for manufacturing and menial tasks where things can be automated. But these sex robots people are waiting for—I think it's gonna be more like getting it on with one of the Pirates of the Carribean animatronics that goes through its programmed routine. Or a mannequin with a little bit of movement and some terrible facial expressions. "The 600 series had rubber skin. We spotted them easy..." I Just don't think it's ever going to get beyond that point.
Did they have those in the 80s, or is that a Johnny Depp upgrade? I was 7 when I got banned forever, what's your excuse? Haha.
