Robots Won't Kill Us, They'll Take Care of Our Parents
Source: Dan Costa
Robot pioneer Rodney Brooks is here at SXSW to dispel robot misconceptions. Artificial intelligence has a long way to go before it can match human cognition, and the physical dexterity of robots is still quite limited. That said, they could have a major impact as eldercare assistants—and potentially destroy the earning potential of being an Uber or Lyft driver.
SXSW Bug ArtBrooks invented the iRobot Roomba, which has sold more than 16 million units worldwide, and is currently the founder, chairman, and CTO of Rethink Robotics, which specializes in robots built for manufacturing.
"I don't think many people in this room are going to lose their jobs to robots," Brooks told SXSW attendees. However, if you are an Uber or Lyft driver, you should probably start retraining now, as robot taxi drivers could be a thing within the next decade, he said.
Still, we are decades away from anything like an artificial intelligence that can replicate human cognition. "We don't know the mechanism to build something as intelligent as a dog," Brooks said.
The idea that artificial intelligence is right around the corner is a construct of the media, not the engineers who are building these systems. "We don't have the super intelligent robots that were available in science fiction when I started this journey."
In his time at iRobot, Brooks helped create robot drones that assist in the defusal—often by detonation—of explosive devices. Brooks made it clear that they were not themselves weaponized. Some tech industry leaders have warned against building weaponized robots—including Bill Gates, Stephen Hawking, and Elon Musk. But Brooks thinks it is more complicated than simply banning such robots. "A scared 19-year-old kid [in a combat situation] can't afford to shoot second; a robot can afford to shoot second."
The most popular robot application in the coming years may be much more prosaic than warfare. Brooks suggested that robots capable of sorting through trash and separating elements for recycling could be a huge benefit to the planet. Perhaps even more important will be the role of robots in eldercare.
"In the next 20 years, over one-third pf the population of Japan will be over 65. The same thing is going to happen in the U.S. 20 years later," Brooks said. "Who is going to look after so many people." Clearly, robots.
At iRobot, Brooks has probably done more to raise expectation on the robotics industry than any other person in the field. But onstage, his primary message was trying to set realistic expectations.
"Moore's Law has been great for predicting certain technology trends, but it doesn't apply to everything," he said. "It doesn't apply to scientific breakthroughs."
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