Artificial intelligence (AI) is already feared to replace human labor or possibly wipe off humans altogether. Recently, a robot in Saudi Arabia was seen on camera ostensibly groping a woman.
Seen as the “premier meeting place for the global artificial intelligence ecosystem,” DeepFest in Riyadh is where the seven-second film was captured.
Reporter Rawya Kassem was speaking in front of Mohammad, the AI robot, during the display when it seemed to reach out and try to touch her improperly.
With a sudden wince, Ms. Kassem spun around and seemed to chastise him while continuing her job.
Mohammad, developed by Saudi AI and robotics firm QSS, is described as the ‘latest marvel in robotics’. Dressed in a traditional outfit, including a red keffiyeh, Mohammad introduced himself to the crowd in Arabic.
However, after the inappropriate interaction, the clip quickly went viral for all the wrong reasons, with some questioning the coding, and one X user branding the robot a ‘pervert’.
QSS confirmed to Metro that Mohammad is ‘fully autonomous’, and was operating ‘independently without direct human control’.
Some argued perhaps the robot was attempting to encourage Ms Kassem to step forward, rather than anything more sinister.
Mohammad has been designed partly to perform tasks in hazardous conditions, improving safety and reducing risk to humans.
“I am Muhammad, the first Saudi robot in the form of a man. I was manufactured and developed here in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a national project to demonstrate our achievements in the field of artificial intelligence” said Android Mohammad @qltyss, the first bilingual male… pic.twitter.com/SKLgOz3pal
— DeepFest (@deepfestai) March 4, 2024
‘His creation is a testament to Saudi Arabia’s unwavering commitment to technological advancement and ingenuity,’ a post on the DeepFest website writes.
However, the incident highlights the uncharted territory humanity is entering when it comes to integrating robots into everyday life, adding yet another ethical consideration around the explosion of AI.
QSS said they take the safety and wellbeing of all attendees at their events very seriously, and that staff had ‘proactively informed all attendees, including reporters, to maintain a safe distance from the robot during its demonstration’.
They added: ‘We have already conducted a thorough review of the footage and the circumstances surrounding the incident and there was no deviations from expected behavior of Mohammad, however we will take additional measures to prevent anyone getting close to the Robot within its areas of movement.’
