Artificial intelligence: Will humanoid robots replace us?

The Hong Kong-based Hanson Robotics company develops human-like robots and is known for its robotics and AI technology. One of the machines is called "Professor Einstein," named after the famous physicist. It aims to make Einstein's knowledge and humor accessible to a new generation.

To make robots as human-like as possible, a nanotechnology skin called Frubber is used in the manufacturing process. This is intended to create androids that display realistic facial expressions. In the future, the company also wants to give its robots human abilities such as love and compassion.

The company has been building humanoid robots since 2007 and landed a coup within 10 years with its model "Sophia." She is the first and so far only robot with her own citizenship. After her presentation, Saudi Arabia made the android its citizen. "Sophia" also works for the United Nations as an "innovation ambassador."

Robot "Beomni" is an all-purpose robot that, according to its US manufacturer Beyond Imagination, can be used in a variety of ways: "Beomni" is able to open bottles as well as administer injections and can thus be used in the gastronomic and medical sectors. And it is even supposed to travel to space to help build space constructions.

Humanoid robots not only perform practical tasks they can even be artistic as is the case with "Ai-Da Robot." The humanoid robot from Engineered Arts is an AI artist with a human face and robotic arms. Developed in 2019, "Ai-Da" is the world's first robotic art system. With the help of algorithms, it produces drawings, paintings and sculptures.

It is a bizarre image when Japanese roboticist Hiroshi Ishiguro stands next to his robot "Geminoid," which looks like his twin brother. Ishiguro is considered the pop star of Japanese robotics research and has also built an android clone for Japan's digital transformation minister, Taro Kono. Ishiguro's own robot is on a lecture tour in the US — without its maker.

Humanoid robots are also being developed in Germany: In the fall of 2022, "Lena" completed a test run in the office. The artificial intelligence-equipped robot lady from the Leap in Time Lab research laboratory worked together with human colleagues for eight weeks. At the end of the test phase, Lena had expanded her vocabulary to such an extent that she was able to give presentations.

The more tasks are taken over by artificial intelligence, the greater the discussion about the ethical dimension of this development. Geoffrey Hinton, known as the "Godfather of AI," fears a loss of control over AI and warns of "serious risks for humanity." Many may soon "no longer recognize what is true," he says. Hinton has just resigned from Google.