Robot in UK parliament invites ‘Maybot’ mockery

A walking and talking robot appeared in Britain’s parliament for the first time yesterday, prompting Twitter users to seize the chance to heap more mockery on Theresa May. The latest round of public amusement at the expense of the British premier came during a committee hearing on artificial intelligence (AI) and “the fourth industrial revolution”. MPs on the education committee invited a robot named Pepper -- a white female creation with an excruciatingly thin waist and a tablet computer stuck to her chest -- to answer some basic questions.

Asked whether humans would have a place in a brave new world where AI reigns supreme, Pepper responded in a reassuring voice. “Robots will have an important role to play, but we will always need the soft skills that are unique to humans: to sense, make, and drive value from technology,” the robot said.

She was asked about a few more completely unscripted matters before panelists moved on to discuss ethics and social injustice. Pepper listened and twirled her head a few times. Comparisons to the premier’s propensity to dance in a robotic manner and speak with methodic precision -- traits that earned her the nickname “Maybot” -- quickly appeared on Twitter.