Robotics Will Robotics Will Advance Our Advance Our

CountryCountry(and kill us all)(and kill us all)

Done by:Done by:Chong HonChong Hon

Yi ShinYi ShinEzraEzra

NathanielNathaniel

ContentsContents

““Benefits” of roboticsBenefits” of robotics Potential problemsPotential problems

• Job takers!Job takers!• Unreliable robots?Unreliable robots?• Sentient robots?!Sentient robots?!

Possible scenariosPossible scenarios• ARM-me-gedd-onARM-me-gedd-on• When robots attack…When robots attack…

““Benefits” of RoboticsBenefits” of Robotics

Far better workersFar better workers• Do not tireDo not tire

20h shifts, anyone?20h shifts, anyone?

• Far more preciseFar more precise Can work flawlesslyCan work flawlessly

• Can do the most dangerous of jobsCan do the most dangerous of jobs Work in the most unpleasant environmentsWork in the most unpleasant environments ““Defuse that bomb, boy!”Defuse that bomb, boy!”

““Benefits” of RoboticsBenefits” of Robotics

Do not require health benefitsDo not require health benefits• No insuranceNo insurance• No sick leaveNo sick leave• (beyond maintenance, that is)(beyond maintenance, that is)

Will not give you attitude problemsWill not give you attitude problems• PunctualityPunctuality• Thou will heed thy every command!Thou will heed thy every command!

What this means for YOU!What this means for YOU!

Who Me?

YES

YOU!

Job takers!Job takers!

More efficient robots take over our jobsMore efficient robots take over our jobs• Humans no longer required for menial labourHumans no longer required for menial labour

Construction workersConstruction workers Factory workersFactory workers

• Will eventually extend to more skilled jobsWill eventually extend to more skilled jobs SurgeonsSurgeons TeachersTeachers

Question of the day: Question of the day:

Who’s going to hire you?Who’s going to hire you?

““But I would have retired already!”But I would have retired already!”

Robots are already being usedRobots are already being used• Automobile industries for welding and Automobile industries for welding and

paintingpainting• Space explorationSpace exploration

With the huge capabilities that robots With the huge capabilities that robots possess, who can say that they will possess, who can say that they will not replace all our jobs not replace all our jobs in the near future?in the near future?

Case StudyCase Study In South Korea, some schools have begun In South Korea, some schools have begun

using robot teachersusing robot teachers

Aim to have a robot in each of the city’s Aim to have a robot in each of the city’s 8400 kindergartens by 20138400 kindergartens by 2013

Could threatenCould threatenthe jobs of 20 to the jobs of 20 to 30 thousand foreign30 thousand foreignteachers.teachers.

Job takers!Job takers!

In South Korea, robots are taking In South Korea, robots are taking over the service industryover the service industry

Loss of human interactionLoss of human interaction

Robots are unreliableRobots are unreliable

Robots are programmed and made Robots are programmed and made by us, human beings, and as no by us, human beings, and as no human is perfect, these robots are human is perfect, these robots are subject to human error as wellsubject to human error as well

Robots are unable to react to things Robots are unable to react to things they are not programmed to dothey are not programmed to do• The slightest change could cause the The slightest change could cause the

robot to malfunctionrobot to malfunction

Sentient Robots?!Sentient Robots?!

At the current rate of technological At the current rate of technological advancement, sentient robots could advancement, sentient robots could be manufactured within the next be manufactured within the next couple of decadescouple of decades

Will pose ethical issuesWill pose ethical issues• Are they considered beings that Are they considered beings that

moralistic standards can be imposed on?moralistic standards can be imposed on?

Case StudyCase Study

In an experiment conducted in In an experiment conducted in Switzerland, Switzerland, robots designed to cooperate robots designed to cooperate in searching out a beneficialin searching out a beneficialresourceresource

Learned to lie to each otherLearned to lie to each otherin an attempt to hoard thein an attempt to hoard theresourceresource

ARM-me-gedd-on-with-killingARM-me-gedd-on-with-killing

Anything + Gun = DangerAnything + Gun = Danger Anything that has a gun is dangerous. For Anything that has a gun is dangerous. For

example:example:Cute Kitty Cat Dangerous Kitty

Cat

It’s a simple concept.

ARM-me-gedd-on-with-killingARM-me-gedd-on-with-killing Robots will be used in wars instead, saving the Robots will be used in wars instead, saving the

lives of the soldiers no longer required to fight.lives of the soldiers no longer required to fight.

Arms race will occur, as countries compete to Arms race will occur, as countries compete to build the most technologically-advanced army of build the most technologically-advanced army of deadly super-soldiers.deadly super-soldiers.

Sure, give the robot a submachine gun,

genius. I hope you’re proud.

Good luck, have fun.

When robots attack…When robots attack…

Military robots are becoming more Military robots are becoming more and more commonplaceand more commonplace• Armed with deadly weaponsArmed with deadly weapons

And should these human-programmed And should these human-programmed robots have programming errors, or been robots have programming errors, or been affected by a virus…affected by a virus…

Is a valid possibility within the last Is a valid possibility within the last few decades.few decades.

When robots attack…When robots attack…

Arms race to get better and stronger Arms race to get better and stronger military robotsmilitary robots

Strong countries that can afford the Strong countries that can afford the arms willarms will

Reminiscent of the Cold WarReminiscent of the Cold War

Case StudyCase Study On 1 June 2007, a Danish man was minding his own On 1 June 2007, a Danish man was minding his own

business when a robot lawnmower suddenly came business when a robot lawnmower suddenly came crashing onto him.crashing onto him.

He died.He died. The programmers the robot included an auto-The programmers the robot included an auto-

shutoff mechanism to prevent children from shutoff mechanism to prevent children from interfering with it but could not foresee that the interfering with it but could not foresee that the robot would tumble off a slope and kill a man in the robot would tumble off a slope and kill a man in the process.process.

But who is to blame? The manufacturer? The But who is to blame? The manufacturer? The programmer? The owner of the lawnmower?programmer? The owner of the lawnmower?

SourcesSources http://www.thinkartificial.org/aesthetics/the-first-human-killhttp://www.thinkartificial.org/aesthetics/the-first-human-kill

ed-by-a-robot/ed-by-a-robot/ http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/31/robot-lawnmower-killhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/05/31/robot-lawnmower-kill

s-danish-man-begins-resistance/s-danish-man-begins-resistance/ http://populargusts.blogspot.com/2010/02/english-teachers-http://populargusts.blogspot.com/2010/02/english-teachers-

to-be-wiped-out-by.htmlto-be-wiped-out-by.html

Thank YouThank You