That scary moment when an AI velociraptor learns to open doors

What does Plastic Dinosaur have to do with a robotic hand that can solve Rubik’s Cube?

Michael Barnard
The Future is Electric

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OpenAI’s robotic hand holding a Rubik’s Cube
OpenAI’s neural-net controlled robotic hand which can solve the Rubik’s Cube. Image courtesy openai.com

Plastic Dinosaur’s normal living space is a big warehouse with a lot of interesting features for it to clamber over and peer behind. But it’s noticed that the bipeds he shares the space with come and go through parts of the barriers that contain him. He’s noticed that they can swing part of the barrier open, pass through the opening and then the barrier closes behind them. He’s seen space behind the barriers that he hasn’t explored. Yet.

Plastic Dinosaur wanders over to the door, peering at things as he goes to see if anything more interesting shows up. Nothing does, and he’s at the barrier. There’s a feature on the barrier, a horizontal piece that sticks out. Plastic Dinosaur peers closely at it, sniffs it and nudges it with its nose. He pushes it this way and that, seeing some movement, but nothing happens. He fails to get past the barrier.

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Michael Barnard
The Future is Electric

Climate futurist and advisor. Founder TFIE. Advisor FLIMAX. Podcast Redefining Energy - Tech.