Boston Dynamics is increasingly using artificial intelligence to train its humanoid robot, Atlas, to perform real-world work tasks previously done by humans. In a recent 60 Minutes segment, the company showed how Atlas is being tested at Hyundai’s new Georgia factory, practicing duties like sorting roof racks on an assembly line. The modern Atlas blends machine learning with advanced hardware, using techniques like motion capture, simulation training, and direct human demonstration to learn movement and tasks that were once difficult to program manually.
Boston Dynamics’ CEO and researchers acknowledge that while humanoids aren’t yet replacing large numbers of workers, they are poised to change the nature of labor by taking on repetitive or hazardous jobs, potentially relieving humans from backbreaking work and enabling operations in environments unsafe for people. They stress that robots will still require human oversight, maintenance, and training, and dismiss dystopian fears of autonomous machines running amok, even as the robotics industry races competitors globally and eyes a multi billion-dollar future market.
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