Robots With Human Emotions?

Countless films have depicted a near apocalyptic future caused by malign robots attempting to take over the world, including Robocop, I. Robot and A.I. Academics such as Stephen Hawkings and entrepreneurs like Bill Gates have expressed their concern over Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) running amok and causing more harm than good. However, not everyone shares this opinion and Patrick Levy Rosenthal, founder and chief executive of tech firm Emoshape, may have developed a solution by creating a computer chip that can make robots more empathetic.

Mr Levy has developed a computer chip that can synthesise 12 human emotions, which will be inserted into a range of machines. Levy states, “”We can teach them to feel happiness when they perform well, solve problems and receive positive feedback from humans. This will reduce the threat, because they will always work to achieve human happiness.” He believes that machines that can understand human emotion – and express their own emotions – will be more effective colleagues and helpers.

Computer Science applicants should look into the type of technology required to create computer chips that enable robots to exhibit human emotions. They should also think about how A.I. programs are used in the day to day machines and technology we interact with and whether this is a positive or negative thing.

Economists should consider the financial and ethical implications of an increased use of A.I. in the workplace.