At the present Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Ameca, which has been described as the world's most sophisticated humanoid robot, gave a humorous yet philosophical answer when questioned on whether machines would one day replace people at work.

Created by British company Engineered Arts, Ameca was asked a very serious question: "Will robots take all our jobs?" Responding in a concerned tone, the robot quipped, "I don't know, how good are you at your job?" before adding, "It depends how good you are at it, I suppose."

The discussion turned sharp when Ameca was questioned regarding robots "taking over the world." The humanoid neatly sidestepped the question by responding, "That's an interesting question, but not interesting for me to answer."

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The humorous and avoidant comment from the robot powered by AI soon drew the attention of social media users, who reacted with a lot of responses. While some of them laughed at its reply, others were brought back to memories of old sci-fi films portraying AI takeover.

"That's actually a really amusing response, gotta laugh haha," one user wrote. Another added, "Try getting a robot to untangle last year's Christmas lights. Some things will always need a human.”

Not everyone was laughing, though. One user referenced a more scary interpretation of artificial intelligence, saying,"Ever watch the first Terminator movie? The opening scene? Skynet (AI) destroying the world with nukes, then hunting down the survivors?"

Ameca: A glimpse into AI-driven interactions

This is not the first time Ameca has faced interrogation regarding whether AI has the potential to destroy humans. At the AI for Good conference in Geneva some time ago, the humanoid was asked whether or not it would ever turn against its creator. 

Then, its reaction was that much more diplomatic at the time: "I'm not sure why you would think that. My creator has been nothing but kind to me, and I am very happy with my current situation," it stated while its ice-blue eyes flashed with emotion.

Naturally programmed to communicate with individuals through AI-empowered speech and facial features, Ameca has already proved its worth by previously addressing the House of Lords in England. Although it presently does not possess the capability of walking, it is able to hear questions and respond in real-time.

Engineered Arts keeps developing Ameca, with the development of an agile, full-bodied humanoid version in the works that can move even more like a human being. 

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