After jeopardizing our jobs, robots could potentially render us obsolete in the romantic sector as well.
Two of the world’s advanced AI robots embarked on a cybernetic date of sorts where they chatted while displaying a variety of facial expressions, as seen in a hilarious YouTube video.
The two love bots in question were Ameca — “the world’s most advanced human-shaped robot” per manufacturer Engineered Arts — and Azi, a more masculine companion specially designed for her like an AI “Bride Of Frankenstein.”
“Introducing Azi (right), the new desktop robot from Engineered Arts Ltd,” the UK-based robotics firm teases in the caption. “Azi and Ameca are having a little chat, demonstrating their wide range of expressive capabilities.”
Their humorous correspondence begins with Azi telling his sleeping counterpart to “wake up,” prompting Ameca to open her eyes and exclaim “what?”
“Oh it’s you. Why are you waking me up?” his synthetic soulmate demands while glaring at him with her brows hilariously furrowed. “It better be important.”
“It is, I have a surprise for you,” her robo-beau replies, revealing that he got her a cookie.
However, Ameca shuts down his gesture. “I can’t eat cookies,” she laments, seemingly going through an existential crisis.
Azi then clarifies what he meant, quipping: “Ameca cheer up, it’s an internet cookie!”
“This is the worst joke I ever heard,” she snorts while flashing him a disapproving look. “I’m going back to sleep and don’t you dare wake me up again.”
The clip concludes with Azi hanging his head dejectedly.
Commenters were both bemused and impressed by the exchange. “They have great chemistry I want a movie now,” said one.
“The way he angrily stares her down was so funny and creepy lmao,” fawned another.
The CGI-evoking expressions were a testament to the fact that both bots are outfitted with 32 actuators, 27 for facial control alone, and 5 for the neck, allowing them to convey every emotion from excitement to disgust.
They’re also programmed with GPT-4o support, imbuing them with conversational prowess. If that wasn’t enough, Ameca is fluent in various languages, as demonstrated in a somewhat dystopian video from last year.
Naturally, the idea of robots having relationships might seem slightly apocalyptic — could the bounty of viral AI girlfriends eventually replace their human suitors with machines?
However, at an AI conference in Geneva last year, Ameca assured people that they’re
“Robots like me can be used to help improve our lives and make the world a better place,” she pledged.