Humanoid robots from Tesla can “be a teacher, babysit your kids…, walk your dog, mow your lawn, get the groceries, just be your friend, serve drinks. Whatever you can think of, it will do,” said Elon Musk at this month’s Tesla “We, Robot” showcase in Burbank, CA. To paraphrase: “Humanoid robots can be human, so you don’t have to!” It’s a toxic and misguided vision for humanity — let me tell you why. When the public thinks of a robot, they think of a humanoid robot — an intelligent machine with feet, legs, knees, arms, a neck, a head, and a face — thanks to countless movies, TV shows, novels, and comics. But what is a robot, really? A robot is any computerized machine with sensors that gather information from its environment and can perform actions in the physical world based on that input. Robots’ attributes include autonomy, programmability, sensing capability, decision-making, and the ability to perform physical actions. We talk about robots as a kind of future technology. But we’re surrounded by them every day. The world of robots is big (so bear with me here); it includes consumer camera drones, smart thermostats, automated garage door openers, self-checkout kiosks, modern washing machines and dryers, robotic lawnmowers, automated pool cleaners, smart refrigerators, advanced coffee makers, automated pet feeders, and smart lighting systems.

Full opinion : Elon Musk wants his robots to do everything humans can do. Here’s the problem.