‘Intelligent’ Robot Tells Interviewer He Will Put Him in His ‘People Zoo’ and Keep Him Safe

by Warner Todd Huston | September 1, 2015 10:52 am

A researcher has created a new robot that is hooked up to the Internet and can answer spontaneous questions in real time. In fact, when one interviewer asks if he’ll become the “Terminator,” the robot replies that he “likes” the human and will keep him in a people zoo when the robot takes over the world.

This robot isn’t real Artificial Intelligence, granted, but it is a very interesting experiment in real-time interaction. And it sure is easy to believe[1] it really is an autonomous “being.”

The robot – modeled after Philip K Dick, the novelist whose work inspired Blade Runner – uttered the terrifying words in an interview with PBS in 2011, in response to the question, ‘Will robots take over the world?’

The robot intoned, ‘Jeez, dude. You all have the big questions cooking today. But you’re my friend, and I’ll remember my friends, and I’ll be good to you.

‘So don’t worry, even if evolve into Terminator, I’ll still be nice to you. I’ll keep you warm and safe in my people zoo, where I can watch you for ol’ times sake.’

Wow. Scary, isn’t it?