The Robots Who Can Learn

Will Artificial Intelligence have an emotionally fruitful future? The machines of the future are gearing up to surprise you.

- Dr Peter Bentley

ROBOTS are customarily portrayed in sci-fi movies as futuristic creations that walk on two legs and think like a human. But this isn’t really an accurate portrayal, as we’ve been using robots of one kind or another for some time – they just look a bit different. Some of the earliest programmable machines ever invented were looms made to weave fabric in the early 1800s, while robot arms have been used in our factories since the 1960s, and the military have used robotic weaponry such as cruise missiles since WWII.

In fact, these days, our everyday lives are practically overrun by robots hiding in plain sight. Our dishwasher is a robot that stands permanently in the kitchen, washing away the remnants of our meals; our vehicles are robotic devices that listen to the movement of our hands and feet, and manage the firing and transmission of a combustion engine, the movement of suspension, and the braking of wheels. Even our alarm clocks are little robots that follow a simple programme to make sure we wake up at the right time. But how close are we to creating the thinking machines of science fiction?

ROBOT SEE, ROBOT DO

In the last few years, a sea change has begun to take place. Breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and ‘machine learning’ research are now allowing us to create devices capable of more than following a set of simple instructions – these robots are capable of learning for themselves. For example, the new generation of cars can study our driving styles and adjust how they respond to us. Some can park themselves, perform emergency braking, or drive themselves on motorways. The best digital recording devices can now anticipate or predict the kinds of programmes you might want to watch, and store them without you even asking them to.