The idea of robots taking over the world is a laughable concept when presented with the front of machines actually making decisions, acting of their own accord, and being unstoppable. There is a lot of fear in the world about machines taking over due to the automation of factories, robots performing heart surgery, and the strange emotional bond that people tend to make with computers and electronics. The same question arises, though: Can robots eventually take over the world?
Taking a glance from the perspective of Sci-Fi where human shaped robots decide that they want to rule the world, with astounding artificial intelligence and the scary capability of lithe human movement, the answer is no. Robots, while being able to process information and data hundreds of times faster than humans, are not capable of making decisions and deductions that they were not programmed to make. Different religions in the world argue that what sets humans apart from other animals is the fact that humans are capable of creativity while animals are not, and the same can be said between robots and humans. Robots are told what to do and are given a list of parameters to follow. If a malfunction occurs due to a lack of parameters, the malfunction cannot be classified as an unwanted decision. No creative thought, or any true thought at all, existed behind the malfunction in the robot’s electronic mind. With this being said, it is obvious that a robot would be unable to seek and create any personalized thoughts.
If looking at robots through the perspective of reliability, on the other hand, could it be possible for robots to rule the world simply through their existence? Electronics such as cell phones, computers, data organizers, and power control systems have all become part of our way of life. Would people be able to continue on without the convenience and fast pace that robotics and electronics have provided for us? The answer to that question remains unclear. Many people will argue that society existed before without the benefit of what we take for granted today in regards to electronics/robotics, and could do so again. For many other people, there is just no way that humans could continue on if robots and electronics ceased to exist.
Personal lives have become attached to cell phones. The success of various businesses has come to rely on the fast production that is only possible with the use of robotics and control systems. How would the professional and social success of these people be affected if electronics just ceased to exist? Upon first glance it would appear that people could learn to adapt to a life similar to the life that existed only one hundred years ago, devoid of most of the amazing technology that exists today; however, upon taking a closer look, one would be able to see the deep impact that such a parting would have on people altogether. Studies have shown that emotional bonds and thinking patterns have been linked to electronics, such as computers and cell phones. People, as they currently exist, have altered their thought patterns to accept and accompany electronics. Children, who once had to use their imagination for entertainment, find themselves in a world that is automated.
If robots could take over the world, it certainly wouldn’t be in a way that is depicted by Sci-Fi movies (perhaps with the exception of surrogates, which demonstrates a near perfect example of how people come to rely on technology). Human attachment and mental need would be the downfall of humanity in regards to conquering robots, not with the personal creative processes of the robots themselves. Will people find themselves on their knees and at the mercy of technology? Likely, but who knows for sure?
