World’s Most Advanced Humanoid Robot Takes A Disturbing Step, Sparking Public Concern

Areca, the world’s most advanced humanoid robot, didn’t just show up on TV and behave. During a chat about AI, the thing literally winked at the camera, and viewers immediately felt like they’d caught it in something.

In 2023, the robot visited the studio of The Morning with one of its creators, Morgan Roe, who explained that Areca was built for human-to-robot interaction, not walking around. Roe talked about how their team of 35 people focused on expressions and gestures, then got into how ChatGPT-style tech could be integrated. That’s when the moment went from “cool demo” to “wait, did it just imply a plan?”

And once it started talking about its purpose, the winking made people wonder what else it might be thinking.

This is a look at the world’s most advanced humanoid robot and what it does on camera.

The humanoid is named Areca, and it visited the studio of The Morning with one of its creators, Morgan Roe. Roe and the humanoid are from England, and this took place back in 2023.

Roe stated that the robot was created by a team of 35 people, and he came to the show to explain a bit about this advanced robot.

“Well, we've created Ameca to be that human-to-robot interactive experience, a robot basically. It's not a robot that can walk around, not yet. It's mainly about the human-robot interaction, so we've really worked hard on the expression and the gesturing,” he said.

As he began talking about AI and the arrival of ChatGPT and how this technology could be integrated into their robots, Areca did the most disturbing thing: it actually winked at the camera while he was discussing this.

ITV

Roe explained more about the robot and how it learns new things.

“With the AI, you can inject extra information into it, so we inject what Ameca is, so Ameca knows that it's a robot. It's gray, and it knows its name - we've also told it today that it's on This Morning,” he said.

The interviewer then asked, “Is it going to take over the world one day?” This is when Roe replied, “It won't take over the world one day because we can turn it off - you've got an 'on/off' button.”

Then the co-presenter asked the humanoid, “Areca, do you plan to take over the world?” The robot responded, “No, of course not. My purpose in life is to help humans as much as I can. I would never want to take over the world; that's not what I was built for.”

People had a lot to say in the comments of the video about what the robot does when it starts talking about AI. “When they were discussing the risks of AI, Ameca winks in a way that suggests she has a plan,” one person commented.

That wink landed right in the middle of Morgan Roe explaining how AI could be injected into Areca, and it instantly turned the segment into a little thriller.

Roe kept laying out the details, saying they told Areca it’s a robot and even that it was on <em>This Morning</em>, which made the timing of that wink feel personal.

If you want to see the video of this happening, you can take a look at the This Morning YouTube channel and search for Ameca. It’s an interesting sight, and it truly does make us wonder what these robots might have in store for us, even if the creators don’t think that this is the route it will take.

On a similar science-bending note, Atlantic researchers say there’s a hidden mega mass of water under the equator.

Then the co-presenter asked Areca if it plans to take over the world, and the robot’s calm “No, of course not” only fueled the weirdness.

As technology advances, the ethical implications of humanoid robots become increasingly complex.

People watching at home were quick to connect the dots, like the commenter who claimed the wink looked like it had a plan beyond the scripted “help humans” line.

The rise of humanoid robots, as highlighted in the recent showcase by Elon Musk, brings forth a mix of enthusiasm and apprehension. While the technological advancements may seem appealing, they also raise significant ethical and emotional concerns among the public. The potential for these robots to resemble humans closely could lead to a blurring of lines in human-robot interactions. It is imperative that discussions around the ethical implications of such technology take center stage. Engaging communities in these conversations will be essential to ensure that as we advance, we do not lose sight of the importance of human connection.

Nobody’s arguing about the tech anymore, they’re arguing about that wink.

Want the same reality check? See how Instagram-polished photos set expectations, then fall apart.