The challenge of human-robot collaboration lies in understanding human behavior and needs, which is daunting as robot capabilities continue to improve. However, by allowing robots to optimize based on what the human wants, rather than what a programmer dictates, the robot may be able to influence and better understand human behavior.
The focus on jobs is taking away from focusing on the work that needs to be done, and there is a problem with our economic system that is diverting our energy and investment towards financial games instead of the necessary work.
Despite the billions of things that exist in this world, it is amazing how much works as it does, including artificial intelligence, technology, and millions of other inventions, even if there are occasional suboptimal results.
The speaker highlights the need for interdisciplinary studies in AI development, including reading literature from fields such as economics and social choice theory, in order to understand how humans can be brought into contact with AI systems in a way that improves the world.
The effects of automation are not only technological in nature; they can have serious consequences for the meaning and well-being of human beings, especially in the context of capitalism where workers lack power. There is a need to transition to new jobs that provide meaning and pride, while minimizing suffering during the transition.
The guest speaker talks about how robots should be designed to not only imitate emotions but also to deeply understand human emotions and experiences, ultimately creating a world where every household has a robot that is emotionally intelligent.