BBC: Robots could 'threaten humanity' be physically stronger than humans "in the next few years", warns scientist
Robots could 'threaten humanity' and will be physically
stronger than humans "in the next few years", warns scientist
Experts claim robots could even be classed as an
"invasive species" due to their rapid evolution and increased ability
to consciously make decisions
BY ADAM POSTANS13:11, 25 JUL 2017UPDATED14:45, 25 JUL
2017
Robots could 'threaten our existence' and even become
physically stronger than humans "in the next few years", according to
a new documentary.
Experts claim robots could even be classed as an
"invasive species" due to the fact they are evolving at such a rapid
rate.
And according to a new BBC science documentary into their
evolution, technology is advancing to the point of allowing robots to
consciously make decisions.
Science experts appearing on the show, Hyper Evolution:
Rise of the Robots, claim this poses a far greater threat to humanity than that
depicted in movies such as The Terminator.
Dr Ben Garrod, an evolutionary biologist at Anglia Ruskin
University, told BBC4's 'Hyper Evolution: Rise of the Robots': "What
concerns me is that the impact of robots will be so monumental, they could threaten
humanity.
"We've evolved over hundreds of thousands, if not
millions, of years.
"These things are just bulldozing their way through.
At what point have we got to stop? They're like an invasive species.
"In the next few years, physically at least, they
will be able to out-compete us in many of the things that we can do.
"But for me, the real problem isn't if they move
like us or even look like us. The real issue will come if they start to think
like us."
Prof Owen Holland told the programme: "The whole of
our society, our law, our education, is based around consciousness, making
conscious decisions, and if we show that actually that's quite trivial and we
reproduce it in an afternoon in a lab, then it could make you think 'Well, how
important is human life? Because it is conscious.'
"Ultimately the rewards will be positive but you
have to be very, very careful. Socially it might be disruptive."
Electronics engineer Professor Danielle George who
co-hosts the show said: "We are living right at the moment robots start to
gradually piece things together, the first tiny scraps of meaning to their own
unique understanding of the world and themselves.
"Once they've done this, where it leads to could be
astonishing. There's no doubt robots will continue to evolve and become more
and more intelligent, and that one day it might be possible for them to develop
consciousness.
"The extraordinarily fast evolution of robots really
is going to change our place in the world and that raises urgent social issues
for all of us. We need to be responsible to make sure that we stay in control.
"We have the opportunity right now to prepare for
conscious robots that think and feel in the same way we do, to prepare for what
I think is inevitable."
Hyper Evolution: Rise of the Robots is on BBC4 at 9pm on
Weds July 26.
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