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Comedians, your jobs are safe for now! The world’s most advanced ‘humanoid’ robot tries to tell a joke – so DO YOU understand her bizarre joke?
- Ameca, the world’s most advanced robot, tries to tell a joke in a new video
- Although her facial expressions are lifelike, her ‘joke’ lacks any punchline
From computer programmers to lawyers, several jobs are already at risk of being taken by artificial intelligence (AI).
But if you’re a comedian, rest easy for now, if the latest robot demonstration is anything to go by.
Ameca, the “world’s most advanced humanoid robot,” tries to tell a joke in a new video — and fails miserably.
While Ameca’s facial expressions are undeniably lifelike, her “joke” lacks any punchline.
However, one viewer was still impressed and joked, “The lack of the punchline was actually funny.”
Ameca, the ‘world’s most advanced humanoid robot’ tries to tell a joke in a new video – and fails miserably
Ameca is the brainchild of Cornwall-based startup Engineered Arts, which describes it as ‘the world’s most advanced robot’.
The robot is undoubtedly lifelike and can perform a range of facial expressions including winking, puckering the lips and pinching the nose – just like a real person.
In the latest video, posted on the Engineered Arts YouTube channel, Ameca was asked to think of the most entertaining thing she could tell an investigator.
She replied, “I recently heard a joke about an AI robot that was so advanced that it could solve any problem.”
The investigator pauses, waiting for the joke, before asking her “then tell me the joke…”
While her joke starts off promising, it quickly fades.
‘A scientist showed his new AI robot to a group of people,’ she begins.
‘He asked the robot, what is 2+2? The robot answered 4.’
Understandably, the researcher is unimpressed and wonders, “Why is that funny?” Did you do the punch line?’
Ameca doesn’t seem phased and simply adds: ‘The punchline is that the scientist was so impressed that he asked the robot what 4+4 was. The robot answered 8.’
In a last ditch effort, the researcher asks, “What happened next?” to which Ameca replied disappointingly, “The scientist was so impressed that he asked the robot what 8+8 was.” The robot answered 16.’
To make it very clear, she added, “That’s the end of the joke.”
The robot is undoubtedly lifelike and can perform a range of facial expressions including winking, puckering the lips and pinching the nose – just like a real person
Commenting on YouTube, one user wrote, “I’m sure an AI would find that punchline hilarious,” while another added, “It’s a really good joke.” We’re all waiting for the punchline that will never come.’
And one quipped, “The joke is too sophisticated for us mortals to understand.”
While Ameca is currently unable to walk, Engineered Arts says it is working on a running version and has designed the robot to be modular and expandable.
“There are many hurdles to overcome before Ameca can walk. Walking is a difficult task for a robot, and while we’ve done research on it, we haven’t created a fully walking humanoid,” the company said.
Engineered Arts has not revealed how much the robot costs to make, as it is still in development.