Boston Dynamics' extremely creepy robots just got even more terrifying. The "notoriously tight-lipped company" is apparently in the process of teaching its yellow "SpotMini" robo-dogs to fight off humans, Wired reports, which basically means giving them the "ability to deal with our crap." Here is what that nightmarish goal looks like in action:
Boston Dynamics explains that in the video above, man's mechanical best friend was instructed by one human to proceed through the door, while another human attempted — admittedly not with much passion — to ward off its attempts.
Not so reassuringly, a new study by 26 experts in the field claims that artificial intelligence is increasingly a threat to mankind, The Independent reports. "AI will alter the landscape of risk for citizens, organizations, and states — whether it's criminals training machines to hack or 'phish' at human levels of performance or privacy-eliminating surveillance, profiling, and repression — the full range of impacts on security is vast," Oxford University's Future of Humanity Institute research fellow Miles Brundage said.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
To anyone still concerned about Fido Prime, "this testing does not irritate or harm the robot," Boston Dynamics promises. People worried about, well, people might not be so reassured. The score is clear: Humankind 0, SpotMini 1.
-
5 seriously spooky cartoons about HalloweenCartoons Artists take on the GOP boogeyman, a white sheet, and more
-
Political cartoons for October 25Cartoons Saturday’s political cartoons include hospital bill trauma, Independence Day, and more
-
Roasted squash and apple soup recipeThe Week Recommends Autumnal soup is full of warming and hearty flavours
-
Warner Bros. explores sale amid Paramount bidsSpeed Read The media giant, home to HBO and DC Studios, has received interest from multiple buying parties
-
Gold tops $4K per ounce, signaling financial uneaseSpeed Read Investors are worried about President Donald Trump’s trade war
-
Electronic Arts to go private in record $55B dealspeed read The video game giant is behind ‘The Sims’ and ‘Madden NFL’
-
New York court tosses Trump's $500M fraud fineSpeed Read A divided appeals court threw out a hefty penalty against President Trump for fraudulently inflating his wealth
-
Trump said to seek government stake in IntelSpeed Read The president and Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan reportedly discussed the proposal at a recent meeting
-
US to take 15% cut of AI chip sales to ChinaSpeed Read Nvidia and AMD will pay the Trump administration 15% of their revenue from selling artificial intelligence chips to China
-
NFL gets ESPN stake in deal with DisneySpeed Read The deal gives the NFL a 10% stake in Disney's ESPN sports empire and gives ESPN ownership of NFL Network
-
Samsung to make Tesla chips in $16.5B dealSpeed Read Tesla has signed a deal to get its next-generation chips from Samsung
