You don’t have to have been petrified by Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Skynet-commissioned cyborg murderer in 1984’s The Terminator to worry that super-strong, all-terrain, bipedal humanoid robots sprinting up steps, pulling backflips, and righting themselves might be programmed to interrupt our necks on sight. (And laser weapons, by no means give them laser weapons.)
With the Old Atlas, we might consolation ourselves with the notion that intelligent enhancing meant Atlas wasn’t as self-righting over tough floor as the authentic viral movies portrayed. The pratfalls in the retirement video show that hunch was appropriate. However, as we speak’s video may properly resurrect any robotic overlord fears you’ll have since suppressed. This factor is horrifying, and never simply because it has a ringlight for a face. (Who had “Robot YouTube influencer” on their 2024 bingo card?)
It was good realizing you, Old Atlas—you superior, pratfalling, parkouring, metallic man machine.
Scary, too, in case you’re an Amazon warehouse employee, as a result of the New Atlas might try this job with one three-fingered hand tied behind its matte grey robotic again. More probably, nevertheless, is that Hyundai—which purchased Boston Dynamics in 2020, valuing it at $1 billion—might quickly set Atlas to work in its automotive factories. The “journey will begin with Hyundai,” confirmed Boston Dynamics in a press release asserting the All New Atlas launch.
Again, no particulars have been launched, however we are able to surmise that the new Atlas shall be given uninteresting, repetitive duties in the Korean firm’s factories somewhat than, say, laser welding. (Remember, preserve lasers away from robotic butlers.)
Hyundai isn’t the solely firm planning to make use of humanoid robots as staff. Beating Tesla’s still-in-development Optimus line of humanoid robots, Sanctuary AI of Canada introduced on April 11 that it could be delivering a humanoid robotic to Magna, an Austrian automotive agency that assembles vehicles for Mercedes, Jaguar, and BMW.
And Californian robotics startup Figure introduced in February that it had raised $675 million from traders corresponding to Nvidia, Microsoft, and Amazon to work with OpenAI on generative synthetic intelligence for humanoid robots.
A general-purpose humanoid robotic that may study on the fly. What might probably go flawed with that?
