Thanks to generative AI, Boston Dynamics' robotic dogs have the ability to speak in complete sentences, even though they cannot bark.
Levatas, an AI software company, collaborated with Boston Dynamics to incorporate OpenAI's ChatGPT into Spot, the robot dogs introduced by the company in 2020. By leveraging Google Assistant's voice technology, ChatGPT enables the robotic canines to comprehend and interact with humans directly.
According to Chris Nielsen, the founder and CEO of Levatas, customers have the freedom to inquire about anything they desire, as he stated in an interview with Fast Company. Originally designed for industries such as manufacturing and logistics, these AI-powered robot dogs were programmed to execute specific tasks, such as identifying spills and leaks, as well as inspecting equipment damage in factories.
While performing these tasks, the robot dogs amassed significant amounts of data that only "technical individuals can manage," Nielsen informed Fast Company.
He further explained that the forthcoming ChatGPT feature can disseminate this information to individuals with less technical expertise. When asked a question regarding the robot's operations, ChatGPT can scrutinize the data and generate a response. This feature has not yet been released for commercial use.
During a demonstration, these robot dogs showcased their ability to provide clear verbal responses to questions. For instance, when asked by a person, "How many inspections are included in your next mission?" Spot replied, "My next mission involves 20 inspections."
Subsequently, another individual inquired about Spot's previous mission, prompting the robot to provide a comprehensive description. Spot shared information regarding the mission's location, duration, and even mentioned the detection of "two thermal anomalies."
The recent revelation of Spot's enhanced capabilities coincides with an announcement made by Eric Adams, the mayor of New York City. The city's police department will be reintroducing Boston Dynamics' robot dogs for deployment in critical scenarios, including bomb threats, hostage situations, and inspections of hazardous waste sites.
According to Adams, these robotic canines have the potential to "save lives" in situations deemed too perilous for human police officers. However, concerns regarding privacy persist.
While Levatas does not collaborate with the NYPD, Nielsen expressed to Insider that he envisions a valuable application for ChatGPT. He suggests that anyone could interact with the robot to obtain information such as asking for directions or inquiring about the nearest emergency services facility.
According to a spokesperson from Boston Dynamics, the integration of ChatGPT is currently in the research and development stage and has primarily been demonstrated within the scope of industrial equipment inspections.
The spokesperson emphasized that any integration, including the use of robots, must adhere to their terms and conditions as well as ethical principles. These principles explicitly forbid weaponizing the robots or utilizing them for harmful or intimidating purposes.
ChatGPT's capabilities extend beyond communicating through robot dogs.
In March, an Israeli startup called D-ID introduced a beta version of chat.D-ID, a web application that enables users to engage in conversations with ChatGPT using an avatar. In the near future, customization options for the avatar will be made available to users.
Recently, Twitter users expressed their astonishment at the experience of engaging in verbal conversations with ChatGPT through a human simulation tool developed by Bubbles, a video collaboration platform. One user even shared their amazement, stating, "My mind is blown."
However, Nielsen, the CEO of Levatas, expressed his desire to push the ChatGPT capabilities of Spot even further. He revealed that the company is actively exploring ways to integrate GPT-4, the latest and most advanced iteration of the language model, in order to develop solutions for complex problems.
Nielsen elaborated on the potential of Spot, envisioning these robotic units exploring various facilities, identifying diverse equipment and conditions, and providing safety, security, and maintenance recommendations to human teams for further action.