CivTech Week #5: ‘Why do we keep building robots when they are so irrational?’
Robots and AI: what’s the difference?
We are now down to double digits: less than 100 days until demo day! This week, we’ve taken a step back from user research to focus on the bigger questions, such as:
1. We have two highly skilled bots to choose from. How do we weigh up the benefits of each to help us build the best possible system for Citizens Advice Scotland?
2. How will we iterate in conjunction with the bot developer team in response to feedback?
3. What will the ongoing maintenance of the bot involve? Who owns that role?
Robots and AI
Earlier this week, we discussed the differences between AI and robots, during a CivTech ‘Fireside Chat’ with Ben Russell, Curator at the Science Museum in London. Ben says people’s expectations about robots are often removed from reality, leaving us disappointed.
We sometimes have the impression that robots will take over the world, like in The Terminator. In reality, robots are banal machines, like automated checkouts at supermarkets.
Ben gave the example of Baxter (featured in the photo) a robot built for factory work. Members of the public were underwhelmed, remarking he ‘looks like a 1970’s vacuum cleaner.’
Ben’s takeaway? AI and robots may seem synonymous, but whilst all robots are to some degree artificial, not all are as intelligent as the AI (Artificial Intelligence) moniker would suggest. As Ben quipped during his talk: ‘Why do we keep building robots when they are so irrational?’
It seems we’re ultimately left with more questions than answers, as summarised by Ben’s borrowed conclusion:
We have not succeeded in answering all your questions. In fact, the answers we have found only serve to raise a whole set of new questions. In some ways we feel we are as confused as ever, but we believe we are confused on a higher level and about more important things.
– Rand researcher, quoted in THE BRITISH ARMY REVIEW NUMBER 128
Whilst we at SIDE Labs also are still confused over many things, we’re also certain our speech AI bot won’t be as ‘irrational’ as many robots out there.
