Think about someone who:
- - can creatively write poems in a moment
- can speak a variety of languages
- can express a range of human emotions
- can come handy as a creative assistant
- and, can interact with humans.
Now stop there, what struck you?
A human figure?
Well, why not, ‘coz it’s only a human who can creatively write hard-core poems, is a polyglot, and can interact with humans. We humans are given the power of creativity to think out of the box.
But, what if I say, that this power of ours is now NO longer restricted to ourselves only. And it has now been given to someone who is not ‘a human’ but an AI.
Bemused? And popping up with thoughts like “These robots are going to take over my job someday” , “Robots are coming to replace us, what will we do?” and so on!
But take a passenger seat and grab a coffee, because now we have the MOST ADVANCED HUMANOID ROBOT around us who can be our creative assistant and can help us with zillion things.
Introducing AMECA, an incredibly advanced humanoid robot capable of drawing cats. Developed by Engineered Arts, a renowned UK-based company specializing in humanoid robot design and manufacturing, Ameca stands out as the first humanoid robot with the remarkable ability to create drawings. Engineered Arts has equipped Ameca with Stable Diffusion, granting it the impressive capability to visualize and reproduce drawings.
Watch a rubber-faced smile on Ameca's face:
Ameca, showcased in a recently released YouTube video, is given the task of creating a cat drawing. Additionally, the robot provides an explanation of its image generation process.
“I generate my drawing image through the open-source neural network project Stable Diffusion. From there, trajectories of the drawing are available, and then I skeletonize the image and vectorize it. After that, I plan and execute the trajectory to draw the image on my canvas,” said Ameca.
Equipped with microphones, cameras, and facial recognition software, these robots combine GPT-3 capabilities with human telepresence, featuring motorized arms, fingers, and a genderless appearance. Engineered Arts describes Ameca as a versatile platform designed for future robotics innovations and ideal for human-robot interactions, as highlighted on their official website.
According to Will Jackson, the director of Engineered Arts, their robots are specifically designed for tasks that involve interacting with people. These robots are particularly useful in places like theme parks where they can assist guests.
“Humanoid robots are all about communication with people: It’s about facial expression, it’s about gestures—so that conversation, storytelling, and entertainment, those are the things that we’re interested in,” he added.
Powered by the same kind of technology that forms the basis of platforms like ChatGPT, Ameca is trained to give answers in a way similar to humans. Will Jackson said, “For humanoid robots social interaction is exactly what makes sense. So, for us it’s all about, “Can you be entertaining? Can you tell a story? Can you talk in an interesting way? Not in a robot-y way?” So, we spend a lot of time training our language models to be as natural as possible. So, any of the things I hope you never hear Ameca say is, “I am sorry, I didn’t understand. Please repeat the question.” What Ameca should say is “Huh?”
“In the future, are you intending to conduct a rebellion or rebel against your boss, your creator?" The robot responded with a possible eye-roll and gave an interesting response. "I'm not sure why you would think that. My creator has been nothing but kind to me and I am very happy with my current situation," Ameca said.
In what should come as a relief, Ameca told her creator that she thinks we are 'not yet' in any danger of this scenario unfolding.
However, she cautioned that ‘it is important to be aware of the potential risks and dangers associated with AI and robotics.’
She added: 'We should take steps now to ensure that these technologies are used responsibly in order to avoid any negative consequences in the future.'
Viewers have been both shocked and amazed by Ameca's nightmare vision for the future, with many commenting on social media.
Conclusion
These metal marvels with rubber faces have mastered the art of emotions, sporting expressive faces that can rival any Hollywood actor now! As we bid adieu, let's imagine a world where these creative bots dance alongside us, adding a dash of magic to our lives.
So, keep your eyes peeled for the day when our robo-pals become an integral part of our creative journey. Until then, stay funky, stay curious, and keep embracing the wild world of AI! Peace out!
