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Hell in a Handbasket: Robots That Can Run, A.I. That Sounds Human

By Rain Noe - May 11, 2018

in Tech

Two disturbing technological developments revealed this week. One, Boston Dynamics has taught their Atlas robot to both run (okay, jog) and jump over obstacles:

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Two, Google has taught their "Duplex" A.I. assistant to do the "Ums," "mm-hmms" and up-speak to make her sound like an actual human being:

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Why in God's name are you jackasses cheering? I feel like I'm watching video of a cult.

I am going to move to a faraway farm.

o

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jason campbell

6 years ago

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As a person who audibly grunts and snorts disapprovingly while phoning a corporate automated black hole, this is the "Have you heard the good news?" level good. A saviour for both receivers has risen.

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Arnold Rudge

6 years ago

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Automation = fewer jobs = lower puchasing power = demand for lower prices = more pressure to automate = more automation = fewer jobs ....repeat

So clearly we already begun this game 200 years ago in the steam era. There is no return to a manual labor world but, robotics also means efficiency and abundance.

In a world with unrenewable and un-recycled resources, automation is a solution. It would be great if we could automate, research ,design and manufacturing 100%. Say it makes clean energy 100x cheaper or plastic sorting and recycling 1000x cheaper. Maybe food , medicince housing and other basic needs are free and you work only for luxury items.

So we dont have technological problems we got economical theory problems, Our limited prespective makes the it look scary, when it`s probably our best bet in avoiding enviromental depleteion.

We just gotta redesign our economy for a world where everything is so cheap, working-to-survive maybe outdated and working-to-improve may be the norm.

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