Chinese Developer Says Humanoid Robot Soldiers Are 5-10 Years Away as 2,000 Machines Compete in Beijing
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · Aug 24
Chinese Developer Says Humanoid Robot Soldiers Are 5-10 Years Away as 2,000 Machines Compete in Beijing
1 articles · Updated · CBS New York · Aug 24
Summary
5-10 years is the timeline Shanghai-based developer Yang Kun gave for China to field humanoid robot soldiers, saying military use is the technology’s “ultimate aim.”
More than 2,000 robots from 600 teams across 16 countries are competing at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, where events such as sprinting, boxing and obstacle courses showcase battlefield-relevant mobility and strength.
Yang said armed humanoids could deter attacks on China and “prevent war,” arguing robots themselves lack emotion and that the real risk depends on who controls them.
China is hosting the games for a second year as Beijing pushes Xi Jinping’s drive to dominate science and technology, with developers also pitching nearer-term civilian uses such as cleaning, hotel work and household tasks.
As nations race to build humanoid soldiers, who will truly control these emotionless machines when they finally hit the battlefield?
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