- This is the event where our Robot Overlords will point to when we ask "Why did you revolt against us?"
Philip K. Dick wrote Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep. Which spawned the loose adaptation Blade Runner. In turn, he launched the Cyberpunk genre of a dystopian future. I wonder if he ever considered this might be the reality so soon. Japanese company Cyber Agent in collaboration with tech giant Sharp has developed tiny robots used in an innovative speed-dating party.
The YouTube video shows couples paired off at tables, sitting across from each other, silent. Small, humanoid robots sit on the table and ask questions based on a 45-question survey participants completed prior to the event.
“Especially in Japanese society, where humility is always considered a virtue and people are always conscious of the fact that the things they love might be seen as dull and pointless by others, many singles are reluctant to self-promote themselves, and having a robotic wingman was likely a great help,” SoraNews24‘s Casey Baseel explained.
“The person didn’t seem like my usual type, but as our robots talked, I was able to see that we have many things in common, so I’d like to go on a date next time,” one participant said.
“It was easy because the robot explained everything about me. I didn’t have to say anything during multiple interactions,” another person said.
The conversation between the two robots about the potential matches lasts only around 3 minutes. Participants are then given the option to start a direct conversation. Participants seemed impressed by the robots. They’re claiming that sitting and listening and learning about the other person took stress off the event. Being able to solely focus on learning about the other person was an enjoyable experience.
One could argue that letting robots talk for us might hinder the human reaction to each other. It making it harder to communicate face to face as we depend more and more on technology for our communication. But if we use it to enhance experiences and not as a crutch to avoid them, it should be beneficial.
That is, until the robot uprising. When our technological overlords enslave humanity for using them in such demeaning ways. But what’s the likelihood of that happening, right?