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One of the unspoken desires that techies have had that were showcased through multiple entertainment mediums is the possibility of robot escorts. These are basically life-like machines that can act as companions, capable of witty conversation, maintaining a distinct personality, and performing all of the acts expected of it. China has been showcasing what might just be the progenitor of future robot escorts in the form of the humanoid robot called Jia Jia.
Jia Jia has been making several appearances for a while, shocking the media and onlookers by how closely it imitates a real person, BGR reports. On top of actually having the ability to carry a conversation, maintain an elegant and poised appearance, and generally look human, the machine also has the face of a beautiful woman.
As one might expect from such a feature, more than a few guests have tried paying her compliments and even made attempts at flirting. All throughout, Jia Jia displayed the remarkable ability to respond appropriately, either by reciprocating the flattery or ducking out of awkward situations.
The engineering marvel was created by University of Science and Technology of China researchers. According to the engineers themselves, robots like Jia Jia are intended to be potential sources of cheap labor for several fields. If successful, life-like machines might take over low-tier tasks like janitorial work or as a service force for hotels, restaurants, and homes.
Chen Xiaoping, the project’s lead even mentioned that such sources of menial labor could significantly boost the number of healthcare workers, Phys.org reports. So, instead of overworked and underpaid caregivers, the world could be looking at indentured mechanical servants.
This kind of development, however, is exactly what many prominent scientists and economists have been warning the world about. Even noted physicist Stephen Hawking has expressed concern in the past that AIs might speed up the extinction of the human race.
