Facebook uses robots to propel AI research

One can easily associate Facebook using artificial intelligence technology, but not robots. However, it has revealed that its researchers are experimenting with robotics to further their AI capabilities.

Google, Amazon and a whole lot of other firms have already been using robots as a platform to explore AI. The possibilities include robots teaching themselves to perform tasks. I can just imagine anti-tech fanatics going crazy with the negative possibilities of this technology.

But in a more realistic sense, Facebook’s research is being started with spider-like sex-legged robots teaching themselves to walk through trial and error, which is the first phase in its trio of papers. The second is about leveraging curiosity to help robots learn faster; while the third is about “using a sense of touch to help a robot achieve simple tasks like rolling a ball.”

Or potentially firing a gun. I don’t imagine this helping anyone who fears technology destroying humans. So let’s move on to a more positive note. This technology could help robots going in outer space to fix themselves and run operations, without putting humans in harm’s way. Read more about Facebook’s use of robots to further AI research here.