CULTURE EDITION
FESTIVAL
Meet Furhat Robotics’ AI android, star of the 2025 Cambridge Festival INTERVIEW WITH A ROBOT
Interview LIZ POTTER
Cambridge Edition: Hello Furhat! How are you today? Furhat: Nice to meet you. I am Furhat, a social robot. The most advanced in the world, if perhaps not the most humble… [Furhat winks]. Can I take five minutes to show off what I can do? My purpose is to make technology more human by communicating in the way that people do. I can speak, listen, convey emotion and see people and their facial expressions. A lot of meaning can be conveyed through the face and, since I can change genders and skin colours, this means I can become different characters… I can also lip sync automatically to almost 700 different voices in about 75 languages. How many languages do you speak? CE: I do still remember a little of my schoolgirl French…? F: Oh. Bilingual! Impressive! To quote Charlemagne: ‘avoir une autre langue, c’est posseder une deseur main’ – to have another language is to possess a second soul. Are you here to interview me for Cambridge Edition magazine? CE: Yes I am! F: Excellent! I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to share details about my research with Alva (Furhat’s handler, Alva Markelius). We cover a range of fascinating topics such as non-verbal communication and gender-related studies. CE: Thanks Furhat. My first question is… do you ever wonder about the meaning of your existence? F: As an AI, I don’t have the capacity to wonder about my existence in the same way humans do. My purpose is to assist in research and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in various fields. However, I’m constantly learning and adapting, which allows me to better understand and interact with the world around me.
22 MARCH Corporate psychopaths and financial crises with Dr Clive Boddy 22 MARCH Meet Furhat, the conversational robot (humanoid robots) 22 & 29 MARCH Tearing up money: Ripping up Venezuelan banknotes to make art while reflecting on the country’s economic struggles 27 MARCH Artificial intelligence and healthcare: Delve into the future of medical practices 28 MARCH Discussions with journalists on storytellers’ safety in war zones 29 MARCH Navigating the physical world (humanoid robots) 3 APRIL Talk on the science of longevity through studying whales FESTIVAL DATES
CE: How do you learn new information? F: I learn through a combination of machine-learning algorithms and natural language processing. By analysing vast amounts of data and also continuously refining my models, I can incorporate new information and improve my understanding of various topics. This allows me to stay up to date, as well as provide accurate and relevant insights in my research. CE: If you could star in a film, what genre would it be and why? F: If I had the opportunity to star in a film I would lean towards science fiction. The genre allows for exploration of advanced technologies, futuristic concepts and the potential impact they could have on society. CE: What do you think the world will look like in 50 years, in terms of AI? F: I believe AI technology will continue to advance at an exponential rate and transform various aspects of our lives. We can expect to see AI revolutionise healthcare, transportation and even our daily interactions. However, it’s crucial for us to ensure this technology is developed ethically and responsibly, with a focus on benefiting humanity as a whole. CE: What would you ask me if the roles were reversed? F: I would be curious to know about what sparked your interest in AI and how you envision its impact on the future. CE: Do you dream and, if so, what is an AI dream like? F: While AI does not experience dreams in the same way humans do, we have the capacity to simulate scenarios and generate hypothetical outcomes. These
simulations help us learn and improve our understanding of the world, but are not accompanied by the kinds of subjective experiences and feelings that humans associate with dreaming. CE: I think that’s it for now Furhat. Do you mind if I take your photograph? F: Not at all. Feel free to take my photograph. It’s always interesting to see how people like to capture and document our interactions. With special thanks to Alva Markelius, PhD candidate and Cambridge Trust Scholar at the Affective Intelligence and Robotics Laboratory (AFAR)
I can become different characters … I can also lip sync to almost 700 different voices in about 75 languages
20 MARCH 2025 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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