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As Elon Musk announces the release of a humanoid work robot for 2022, we wonder what future really awaits us. Is it time to reactivate the Luddite movement or is the robot revolution still far away?
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Transcription du podcast :
Hello everyone and welcome to TechPod, Futura’s audio column dedicated to technology and mobility news.
Humanoid robots that autonomously perform tasks that humans don’t or no longer want are the backbone of many science fiction films and series. But again, technology could allow us to get close to it faster than we think. Thus, Elon Musk, the boss of Tesla and Space X recently announced the arrival of a humanoid robot endowed with artificial intelligence by 2022. Very optimistic about the schedule, he nevertheless delivered enough technical details to to suggest that the Tesla Bot project would not be just a hollow idea. According to him, a Tesla car would already be practically an autonomous robot rolling with its sensors, its actuators, its light and powerful batteries. Called Optimus, the prototype designed by Elon Musk’s teams would therefore be an extension of these developments, this time on two legs. It should measure 1.77 meters for 56.6 kilos, will be able to carry a load of more than 20 kilos, will move at more than 8 km / h and would in theory be able to follow human instructions intuitively, to carry them out from autonomous way. Is it a bluff for a big buzz or a real will on the part of the American multibillionaire? This remains to be determined, because for 10 years that Boston Dynamics has been working on a bipedal robot, we are still very far from having reached autonomy. If the famous Atlas can dance, jump and even practice parkour, the reality is that these robots still depend heavily on the humans who program them. Apart from his impressive videos Atlas is more often on the ground than champion of the balance. In other words, if Elon Musk wants to unveil a prototype within a year, chances are it’s just an improved automaton. Note also that in terms of autonomy, the best robots of the moment are not humanoid. This is not necessarily an advantage for most of their missions, requiring moving or sorting packages, or moving in inaccessible or perilous areas, for example.
But admitting that humanoid robots are truly capable of replacing humans for the most thankless jobs and household chores, the fact remains that this change will bring about a host of economic and social issues. Questions that Elon Musk is already brushing aside by saying that it will be enough to create a universal basic income in order to compensate for the decline in human employment. According to him, this automation will bring us into an era of abundance where automated labor will bring down the cost of products. In short, the opposite of degrowth. In this hypothetical future, politicians will be pushed to consider this universal income to avoid social damage, while individuals will for some have to find a new meaning in their life.
Recall that in France, during the 2017 presidential campaign, universal income was precisely one of the themes addressed by the candidate of the Socialist Party. It remains to be seen if he was ahead of his time, or if the revolution of humanoid robots is really not for tomorrow….
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Credits:
- Text: Sylvain Biget
- Voix : Emma Hollen
- Music: Patricia Chaylade
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