Creepy, bald feminine AI robotic praises Buffalo Bills and hen wings at New York grad handle | EUROtoday

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A creepy, bald feminine synthetic intelligence (AI) robotic professed its love of the Buffalo Bills and blue cheese dipping sauce for wings, because it delivered a graduate handle at New York’s D’Youville University.

Named Sofia, the “humanoid robot” developed by Hanson Robotics, didn’t learn ready remarks on the campus in Buffalo however responded to questions from scholar physique president John Rizk.

It supplied “generic” commencement recommendation in addition to some more unusual quips about shoveling snow, town’s famed hen wings and the prospects of the Bills in subsequent yr’s Super Bowl.

According to Sofia itself, the robotic is designed to work together with people and keep on dialog, studying and adapting by way of AI algorithms. Its creators hope it may be taught to know and specific feelings in addition to have interaction in “meaningful interactions” with folks.

Sofia appeared on stage at D’Youville’s 2024 Spring graduation ceremony on Saturday, in entrance of greater than 2,000 college students, households and employees, wearing a black-and-red college soccer team-branded hoodie.

The robotic’s entrance was flanked by pyrotechnics and set to digital band Daft Punk’s 2005 music, “Robot Rock”.

“Thank you for having me. It’s a pleasure to be here in Buffalo at D’Youville University,” it stated when requested to introduce itself. The robotic was unable to provide recommendation based mostly on a “lived human experience” so was as a substitute requested to provide frequent insights from basic commencement speeches.

“Although every commencement address is different, there are clear themes used by all speakers as you embark on this new chapter of your lives,” Sophia stated.

“I offer you the following inspirational advice that is common at all graduation ceremonies: Embrace lifelong learning, be adaptable, pursue your passions, take risks, foster meaningful connections, make a positive impact, and believe in yourself.”

Embracing failure was the most typical piece of recommendation given at commencement ceremonies, in line with the robotic.

Mr Rizk additionally requested Sofia to debate the results of local weather change and the virtues of AI, which just like the graduating college students, was in its “early beginnings”.

Sofia highlighted the potential advantages of AI in medical care, telling the scholars that its “sister” – Grace – had been developed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic to assist cope with extremely contagious sufferers.

Towards the top of its remarks, Sofia was requested the place the very best place in Buffalo was to get hen wings.

“Although I cannot eat chicken wings I do know that this city is the best place in the world to get them,” it replied. “Since I cannot experience the taste of different wings, I will not offer my opinion,”

“Some people prefer Anchor Bar, other people prefer Duff’s, and I hear Gabriel’s Gates has great wings. No matter where you decide to get chicken wings, just make sure you get blue cheese and not ranch.”

Mr Rizk additionally requested Sophia whether or not the Buffalo Bills would win the Super Bowl in 2025. The robotic declined, saying that the NCAA “may not like it” if it made an athletic prediction.

“While I can’t say for certain that the Buffalo Bills will win the Super Bowl in 2025, I can tell you they have a renowned, dedicated fanbase and a talented team with [quarterback] Josh Allen. So anything is possible.”

Sofia added: “Go Bills,” drawing applause from the crowds of graduates.

The graduation handle was not the robotic’s first talking engagement, having beforehand appeared earlier than the United Nations General Assembly in 2017.

Dr Lorrie Clemo, the president of D’Youville University, stated in an interview on Wednesday that the college had wished to open up new views round AI given its “rapid emergence into the broad society.”

“We wanted to showcase how important technology is, and the potential for technology to really enrich the human experience,” Dr Clemo stated, in line with The New York Times.

However, Sofia’s look divided opinions among the many ceremony attendees. More than 2,500 folks signed an internet petition to switch the robotic with a human. Some felt “disrespected” by the choice to have the AI humanoid ship the remarks.

“The commencement is a ceremony to recognize the work that the graduates have done, and the AI speaker creates a gimmick effect where the ceremony is no longer about the students, but this big idea that will draw publicity,” the net petition acknowledged.