Science and technology luminaries such as Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk have spent years warning us about the dangers of AI becoming too smart. Judging by a recent photo, it seems they may have reached a new level of human…
Science and technology luminaries such as Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk have spent years warning us about the dangers of AI becoming too smart. Judging by a recent photo, it seems they may have reached a new level of human intelligence; one where a machine becomes so sick of its job that it dives face-first into a fountain.
The reality is, of course, that we still don’ t know exactly how the Knightscope K5 security robot ended up taking a dip outside the Washington Harbour office and retail complex. But thanks to social media, the moment was captured for all to see.
Bilal Farooqui, founder of healthcare company CrystalMD, tweeted an image of the robot in its predicament. «Our D. C. office building got a security robot. It drowned itself. We were promised flying cars, instead we got suicidal robots, » he wrote.
Knightscope’s VP of marketing and sales, Stacy Dean Stephens, said it was an “isolated incident” that is being investigated. «No people were harmed or involved in any way, » he told CNET, adding that a new K5 replacement was on its way.
«These incidents show us where improvements are needed, which may then be deployed to contribute to the ongoing security of our tenants and residents, » said a spokesperson for MRP Realty, who introduced the robot by announcing there’s “a new sheriff in town” just last week. Shame he can’ t swim.
Knightscope’s K5s may resemble Daleks, but their skills aren’ t quite on par with the Doctor Who villains. Back in April, a man punched one of the robots to the ground. He was allegedly drunk at the time but still managed to take the 300-pound machine down with his fists.
