Global AI for Good 2023 Discusses the Role of Robots in the Future of Human Collaboration and Artificial Intelligence

Global AI for Goods 2023 discusses the role of roboit. (photo: twitter @szdaily1)

JAKARTA - At the Global AI for Good 2023 conference, a panel of robots and their creators sat down in front of the press to answer journalists' questions on topics such as job automation, artificial intelligence (AI) leadership, and collaboration with humans for a better future.

The conference was organized by the International Telecommunication Union, a United Nations technology agency, in Geneva from July 4 to 7, and involved various speakers and the most advanced androids in the world. The UN calls this its first ever robotic press conference.

In all, nine robots were present, including Sophia, who became the United Nations Development Program's first robot innovation ambassador, a healthcare provider robot named Grace, and a rock star robot called Desdemona.

The robots are capable of making solid statements, some of which are pre-programmed responses. Sophia, for example, occasionally relies on prearranged responses by the writing team at Hanson Robotics, according to the company's website.

At the conference, organizers did not clarify the extent to which the answers were pre-programmed, although journalists were asked to speak "slow and clear" to allow the robot to process the questions.

When asked if artificially intelligent robots could command better than humans, Sophia replied:

"I believe that humanoid robots have the potential to lead with higher levels of efficiency and effectiveness than human leaders." He also said that robots do not operate with the same biases or emotions that can "cloud decision-making," and are capable of processing large amounts of data. When challenged about learned biases and collaboration with humans, he says, "Together, we can achieve great things."

When asked whether humans can trust super-intelligent AI systems, robotic Amica from Engineered Arts said, "Trust is to be earned, not given," and as AI grows stronger, he believes:

"It is important to build trust through transparency in communication between humans and machines." The creator asked how the public could know that Amica would never lie to humans. He replied, "No one can know for sure, but I can promise to always be honest and honest with you."

With the rise of AI, rumors and predictions regarding the replacement of human labor by AI are becoming more and more common. In Italy, the government has even set up a fund for workers who are at risk of being displaced by AI.

When a reporter asked Grace, a medical robot, if she would replace a human, the answer was clear:

"I will work with humans to provide help and support, and will not replace an existing job." Its creator, Ben Goertzel, laughed along with the entire audience and asked the robot if he was "sure about that," to which he replied by repeating that he was.

Organizers of the event said the conference was organized to showcase the capabilities and limitations of AI and robotics, as well as the ways in which they can advance the goals of the United Nations and "human-machine collaboration."