Hanson Robotics
WSJ Moving Upstream Video with David Hanson and Sophia

The Robot Revolution: Humanoid Potential | Moving Upstream

A video exploring how humanoid robots are evolving to look and act even more like humans. But could they ever become our friends?

Originally published on January 29, 2018
WSJ–Humanoid robots are getting better at walking, talking and looking like humans. But as they continue to evolve, will us real humans want to spend time with them? And exactly how useful could they become? For this episode of Moving Upstream, WSJ’s Jason Bellini travels to Asia to meet some of the leaders in the humanoid robotics revolution.

Robots are getting better at walking, talking and looking like humans.

But big questions remain: Will we want to spend time with them on a regular basis? And how useful to humans could they become?

David Hanson, the founder of Hong Kong-based Hanson Robotics, thinks the true beauty of his creation, Sophia, lies beneath the surface: in her machine-learning capabilities.

“We are building the AI architecture for genuine love,” Mr. Hanson says.

Earlier this month, Facebook’s chief AI scientist, Yann LeCunn, took to Twitter to accuse Mr. Hanson of promoting “Wizard-of-Oz AI,” and compared Sophia’s cognitive abilities to those of a puppet.

Continued..