AI chatbots power robots in the physical world
People watching robot butler in Japan by Alessandro Castiglioni, Scopio
Advancements in artificial intelligence chatbots such as ChatGTP are crossing over to the real world and accelerating the development of robots.
Quick points:
- Large language models (aka LLMs) are the technology that allows AI systems to hold conversations, write poetry or create images.
- The technology is now a key ingredient being added to robots to upgrade their brain capabilities, reports The Ecoomist. That’s moving AI’s benefits beyond digital applications in phones and laptops.
- LLMs make it possible for a person to easily communicate with a robot and give it instructions. For example, through an LLM model a robot can learn the difference between apples and oranges. That means you can ask the robot to go out and pick up an apple and leave all the oranges on the ground.
- In coming years we’ll see and interact more and more with robots that look like humans. One reason for that is that having features such as legs and arms will make it easier for robots to operate in a world that’s been designed to suit human bodies.
- Robots could replace humans in many job categories. On the other hand, robots offer a solution in countries facing worker shortages as more people grow old and too few babies are being born. In the future, “more capable robots could cook and clean, and care for the aged and the needy,” writes The Economist.
This story is part of the global megatrend Technology shifts. Fields like artificial intelligence and genetic engineering are changing how we live. New technologies promise solutions to humanity’s problems but also pose major challenges. Here’s more
Reference shelf:
Robots are suddenly getting cleverer. What’s changed? (The Economist)
Three reasons why it’s good news that robots are getting smarter (The Economist)
The quest to build robots that look and behave like humans (The Economist)
