The idea of an automated weapon system shaped like a dog might make us feel morally queasy. But in truth we should feel just the same about existing military drones that kill people remotely.
Machines have been getting better at mimicking improvisation. But can this distinctly human process serve as a bulwark against the mechanization of life and art?
Sci-fi nightmares of a robot apocalypse aside, autonomous weapons are a very real threat to humanity. An expert on the weapons explains how the emerging arms race could be humanity’s last.
When people think about how AI might ‘go wrong’, most probably picture malevolent computers trying to cause harm. But what if we should be more worried about them seeking pleasure?
If you see the Tesla Bot as a joke or a harbinger of a dystopian future, you could be missing the real threat, which has more to do with Elon Musk’s power than robots run amok.
The collective behavior of robot swarms is a route to making small, simple, inexpensive robots – and offers insights into how people make group decisions and adapt to changes.
Lawyers were thought to be mostly immune from the coming AI revolution, but two legal experts explain why jobs that rely on human ingenuity can still be affected.
Robot pets are marketed as substitutes for living animals. Rather, we should use existing technologies to design robots that provide other services, like health care and lifestyle support.
At building collapse sites, aerial drones and ground robots can extend the eyes and ears of search and rescue personnel to places people can’t go – above and inside the rubble pile.
Oceanographer Robert D. Ballard, who is best known for finding the wreck of Titanic, has written a memoir recounting his biggest discoveries and calling for more ocean exploration.
Custom fabrication involves taking measurements, choosing tools, deciding on sequences of steps and ordering from a menu of materials. AIs under development promise to take humans out of the loop.
Fictional screen robots have long represented our fear of technology. A new animated family film combines this trepidation with many parents’ fear of losing offline connection with their kids.
As the use of robots and autonomous machines increases across industries, governments need to have a strategy in place. The labour force will transition out of automated tasks into new jobs.