zeeshan khan
Imagine a day in the future when humanoid robots that can walk and talk coexist with us. We’ve all seen it in science fiction, so it’s not difficult. But might it be approaching soon?
According to a recent Morgan Stanley report, millions of them may be working alongside us, playing with us, defending us, and taking care of us in less than ten years. And there may be a billion of them among us by 2050.
So, is society prepared for this significant shift? What may the future of this robotic world look like? And if we are going to give talking, walking machines intelligence and use them to help us, are there any ethical issues that need to be taken into account?
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Let’s examine what we currently understand about humanoid robots, their potential use in our daily lives, and the opportunities and difficulties they will present.
The Rise of Robots
There may be 13 million robots in society by 2035, and they could cost about $10,000 annually to acquire. They are roughly equivalent to a car in terms of the level of wealth required to own one.
According to researchers, a critical mass of enterprises may find them commercially feasible at this affordable price range. Over the next 15 years, there may be a billion active robots, which would result in an increase of demand.
Although this is a bold forecast, there are already instances of these robots being used in the workplace. Agility Robotics developed a model called Digit that is currently in use on American production floors. It can do a wide range of tasks that were previously limited to human performance, including lifting and stacking objects.
Additionally, BMW finished a pilot experiment in which they placed Figure 02, a humanoid robot, on the floor of their Spartanburg, South Carolina, assembly facility. They are able to use human tools, climb stairs, and open doors.
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Additionally, they are going to be installed in a Foxconn facility in Houston, where they will be utilized to construct Nvidia servers.
As demonstrated by a number of projects and products introduced in South Korea, a nation with a highly developed robotics sector, they can also be utilized to give care and companionship.
The Opportunities and Difficulties of Today
Recent developments in AI have made all of this possible by improving language processing, fine motor control, and picture recognition. This implies that they are able to observe and comprehend humans, as well as move like humans by constantly adapting to their surroundings.
Even with their current level of sophistication, these early-generation humanoid robots probably lack the universal AI required to produce the multi-tasking, mechanical people we have seen in films for decades.
They will instead have a more limited range of capabilities, in keeping with the particular duties they are designed for, much like other highly anticipated AI applications of today, such as ChatGPT or robotaxis.
However, they are literally only the beginnings of humanoid robots. Because of their form aspect, they can work alongside humans in human contexts and are anatomically suited to many physical jobs that we can currently only perform ourselves.
But there are problems with their arrival. Some are technological, such the requirement to continuously develop stronger materials and more effective batteries to support ever-more-advanced models and use cases.
Of course, it will be necessary to carefully model and handle their influence on human workforces and employment chances. Will they be implemented in a way that benefits human workers by relieving them of routine, hazardous, or boring work? Or will they just render large numbers of manual laborers obsolete?
Additionally, there are psychological factors. It’s possible that many people are inherently afraid of robots. According to the psychologist who first used the term “robophobia” in the 1990s, up to 20% of people may have it. It will also be important to consider the psychological effects of having a billion robots in our homes, factories, and streets.
One Billion Robots
There would be one robot for every eight people on the earth, or one billion robots. This implies that by 2050, they might be widely seen in manufacturing, healthcare, retail, hospitality, and educational environments.
They would also become more prevalent in our homes; according to Morgan Stanley experts, by this time, 10% of American households will own one. These domestic humanoid robots, which assist with household tasks, look after children and the elderly, perform maintenance, or provide security, are perhaps most prevalent in the United States.
Increased adoption in Asia may result from less developed markets’ increased access to less expensive Chinese supply chains and robotics.
However, there is a 33% possibility that, by 2050, you will be living with a robot if you are a U.S. resident with a household income of $200k or more (everyone else will just have to wait a bit longer).
At this stage, we need to address some of the more important questions: Are governments allowed to employ robots for surveillance or as police officers? Can private businesses use them to impose security measures, such barring people from entering facilities or even defending themselves in the event of an attack?
What about the rights of robots? Should they be treated as slaves or unpaid servants?
The most sophisticated AIs of today might merely be extremely sophisticated language-crunchers, but what about those of tomorrow? As they grow more intelligent and conscious, they might even start to exhibit traits that we have only ever observed in sentient, conscious lifeforms.
In addition to absorbing all of this, we might have to accept that we are not the only sentient beings with the ability to change the world with opposable thumbs and fingers. And in the end, that might be the most significant culture shock of all.
