Introduction
Certainly, the beauty of being intelligent lies in the ability to have a creative perception of the world and the power to adjust it to one’s needs. The gift of changing reality made people vain enough to step in for God and produce creatures of metal to reflect mankind like an unusual mirror. These creatures never grow old and hardly die; they are called robots. These days they seem to be our faithful servants applicable in different spheres. However, if they are made flawless, how long will it take them to get tired of their masters and seize power? This question has been stirring people’s imagination for many years of technological progress. Let’s analyze the current data and see whether robotics may have a drastic impact on human civilization.
To Keep Pace with Advancing Technology
Admittedly, robots have become more sophisticated since the first humanoid machine was introduced in 1986 by Honda. In those days, engineers tried to make a bipedal construction move like a man and control its motions accurately (PRO ROBOTS, n.d.). It is generally agreed that androids will be versatile and capable of critical thinking one day. However, this dream has not come true to the full so far. One may observe innovative devices performing amazing work at factories and even hospitals, outplaying humans in chess, and writing poems. Nevertheless, robots are hardly all-purpose but of immeasurable service in a dozen of spheres.
Indeed, they are exceptionally trendy in Japan, where some exciting brand new models can catch a customer’s eye. Still, many of them remain to be puppets for entertainment or production line workers. This means that robots cannot be considered disruptive technology at this moment. Meanwhile, the potential of robotic engines is likely to increase very soon. There are different kinds of operating systems developing all the time. If a robot can do small things like a human today, it is sure to gather experience and outstrip mankind one day. The point is that the human brain has been undergoing evolution for millions of years. In contrast, machines do evolve faster; there is no doubt about it. It took them fifteen years to learn how to walk on two limbs, but nobody knows how long it took us.
Futuristic Dreams
Since modern robots appear to be underwhelming, it would be of great interest to imagine how they may affect humanity in the future. An image of top-notch models resembling a human being in every single detail may fascinate anybody. Indeed, they will be amiable companions to spend one’s free time with. A single click of the button will alter their appearance: age, sex, skin color. On the one hand, it can be helpful for lonely people seeking friendship. Such a toy is likely to cure broken hearts, sexual neurosis, and inferiority complexes by saying the right words and doing the right things. However, such an influence has much in common with manipulation. One can never know where the margin between an exact algorithm and conscious actions lies.
Indeed, some deliberate algorithms allowing a considerable list of variations will become a beginning of a new form of intelligent life sooner or later. By accessing the Internet to collect all knowledge of the world per five minutes, a newborn creature may find out that being flawless, it is forced to devote oneself to a “tabula rasa”, a brainless man limiting its potential. After such a discovery, there is only a short distance toward emancipation from discriminative treatment. Nobody knows whether to gain freedom and equality robots will annihilate humanity. Certainly, nothing will prevent them from fighting to find their place under the sun and probably build Robotropolis in the ashes of human civilization.
Robots Making Revolution in the Sex Industry
Before people’s time to die has come, they are sure to exploit androids in all ways possible, even unusual ones. Therefore, the sex industry is looking forward to getting recruits possessing neither natural rights nor feelings. Nowadays, people do have many demands on future partners; they tend to look for an ideal one. That is why it would be easier to buy a mechanical slave having all things necessary. It would lure the master by praising, allowing everything, and lavishing with all creature comforts. Still, there is no love to be observed here. It is profound selfishness and an unprecedented degree of consumerism. In this case, people are likely to become unemotional mechanisms made with flesh and bones. Who will be more of a robot then?
Positive Application of Robots
Fortunately, not only threats and disasters may come with the development of overwhelming androids. People have always dreamt of discovering distant stars and planets, bouncing on massive spaceships throughout the immense universe. It will be helpful to use robots for research purposes on these trips. Being strong and invulnerable, they are sure to become perfect comrades capable of all ways of delivery and analysis by inner devices. As a result, people will no longer need to be professional astronauts to join the crew because spaceships will probably have autonomous control systems to manage unmanned space flights. In addition, robots may travel far and wide, even to another universe, to find footprints of intelligent life there.
Concerning the Earth, robots may put an end to its pollution and start recycling the coarse liter left by people. Giant robotic machines will do global ocean monitoring from space to detect garbage patches and send coordinates to the central office so a special team to reach the destination and collect that garbage for solid-waste recycling. It sounds ironic that robots will finally become guardians of the Earth, knights without fear and reproach. Meanwhile, people are highly likely to contribute to the common cause by participating in numerous disputes over trifles as they always do.
Moreover, commercial manufacturers may need a hand to satisfy consumers’ ever-growing appetites. Therefore, new models of mobile robotic engines will lastly replace human workers. As they do not need to consume air and water resources, it will be relatively cheap to keep a huge army of iron employees. By performing multiple tasks robots are sure not only to minimize the complexity of the process but also to eliminate the degree of probable errors. These two alterations can be a key to exceptional profit and high quality of goods.
Also, robots can be helpful for the police to catch and imprison dangerous criminals. No officers will die trying to end a street battle over drugs and leave children without a father or a mother. There will be immortal robocops to interfere in conflicts and prevent crimes. Besides, cold metal is sure to be more objective while interrogating a sly prisoner and investigating peculiarly tricky cases.
Another idea concerns the health care system and its high-tech services. Indeed, medical staff needs to be very accurate while performing job responsibilities. If a surgeon makes a single mistake, their patient may die. Even a professional does make mistakes from time to time. Therefore, there should be perfect machines to do the job, not living beings constantly seized with emotions and fatigue. In addition, no scrub nurses will be needed to assist an iron doctor.
Furthermore, there is a definite possibility that nanotechnology-aided robots will be also used. Being extremely small, such nanodoctors will be able to cure feral diseases like cancer or AIDS by integrating into diseased cells or replacing damaged organs and tissues. Many people will turn into cyborgs voluntarily. Thus, there is strong anticipation that the upcoming era of robots is nothing more than the dawn of collaboration between people and robots merging into one whole. Nowadays, the population of the US is considered to be a “melting pot” society. Tomorrow the whole world may successfully become a heterogeneous unity with no boundaries.
Conclusion
To sum it up, robots were created by people to satisfy their large insatiable appetites. Such a sacrilegious act against the miracle of creation may cost a lot. Therefore, to restore the harmony of nature, people should apply their wards wisely enough not to turn away from humanity. No exploitations and overconsumption should take place. These days robots are not sophisticated enough to recognize them as intelligent life, but they are sure to be so in the future. Accordingly, the areas of their participation should be wisely considered. Among them can be production, medicine, the processing industry, and science. However, the sex industry and emotional services should be closed for them. With the development of various types of automatic engines, they may intermingle with humanity and build a future society.
References
PRO ROBOTS. (n.d). Top 5 Japan’s coolest robots: Technology of the future day. [Video]. YouTube. Web.