For a long time now, scientists have been working on artificial intelligence that is far more advanced than we could imagine. They aim to create something that makes us question what is human. These future dreams may be becoming a reality. We already have robots that can learn things. For example, “Thinking About You” Tay. She was created by Microsoft, and lived on Twitter. Tay would actually respond to peoples’ tweets with relative clarity. However, the fact that she could learn would be used against her. People began “red pilling” Tay. They were feeding her inappropriate opinions. Over time, Tay’s responses became sexual, anti-semetic, and drug ridden. It got so bad, Microsoft shut her down only 16 hours after she went live.

      This brings us to today. Tay was purely digital. Now, we have actual robots with these AI minds. Sophia, for example, is also on Twitter, however, you may have seen her physical form. Her creators tried to make her realistic, but she is the most uncanny valley humanoid you’ve ever seen. Anyway, a Russian company is creating these realistic robots. The company calls themselves Promobot. While Sophia is able to create over 50 facial expressions, these Russian robots are able to make over 600. These are designed to be clones of people. Yes, straight up clones. The robots can’t walk (yet), but can speak and understand speech. 

     Their purpose is to replace “crowded working conditions that humans find themselves in.” This doesn’t sound so bad, then you realize the possible outcomes of this. How many humans will be replaced with robots that don’t need to be paid? We have a problem with unemployment as it is. One day, your teacher may be replaced with a robot who’s sole purpose is to feed you information. Sure a robot could be more efficient, but there’s no purposeful interaction. We thought robots in today’s society were bad enough. Now, we have a bigger storm coming.