Merkel Dreams of an AI-Powered Robot to Assist in the Kitchen
Merkel envisions a domestic robot and emphasizes the need for global coordination on artificial intelligence.
Translated by Qiyas from الجريدة — Original source
Speaking at the “Digital X” conference on digital transformation, organized by Deutsche Telekom in Cologne, western Germany, Merkel said her dream was “for a robot to do household chores for me when I get older.”
The former leader of the Christian Democratic Union added: “When my mother grew older, I always thought: why isn’t there anyone to squeeze lemons for her, since her hands are no longer able to do it well?”
However, the former chancellor pointed out that such machines are still characterized by “apparent idealism” only at this stage, and she believed it would likely take some time before technology reaches the required level. She said: “What I fear is that I will be promised that ‘the robot will take care of kitchen tasks,’ only to find myself having to do all the work myself because it doesn’t know the details of my kitchen and so on.” She added that such robots currently cannot even handle very simple tasks, emphasizing that if she were to purchase such a machine in the future, she would want its setup to be straightforward thanks to artificial intelligence, without “taking a full year to operate.”
During her dialogue with writer and journalist Mariam Meckel, Merkel addressed the issue of freedom in the age of artificial intelligence. She views AI applications as positive in principle. She said: “It will make our lives better, just think of the medical field.” She added that being born in this era is wonderful, provided this issue is understood, as AI can be effectively harnessed in educating young people, as well as assisting the elderly, for example by simplifying the setup of new televisions.
Regarding artificial intelligence, Merkel warned of the need for greater global coordination, similar to what exists in the nuclear energy sector through the International Atomic Energy Agency, and in health through the World Health Organization.
She said in this regard: “If people are not informed about the risks, if expertise is not shared, and if a certain degree of transparency is not imposed on technology companies, we will enter a highly obscure phase.” She added that this could lead to falling into the trap of dependence on major supplier companies.
Summarizing her view on artificial intelligence, Merkel said: “We will have to live with it, and it will make our lives better.” When asked whether she uses an AI-based conversational chatbot, she answered affirmatively, but briefly. She said that when writing speeches, she gathers information from the internet using AI. She added: “But I then wrote the speech myself, so there is no need to worry.”
