Humanoid robot to participate in BBC’s Christmas Lectures

The lectures will feature Ai-Da, the first humanoid robot to participate, alongside Professor Mike Wooldridge, an expert in artificial intelligence from Oxford University.

The collaboration between Ai-Da and Professor Wooldridge represents a unique fusion of technology, art, and academia. Ai-Da, not just a robot but an artist, has previously graced stages such as the United Nations, the House of Lords, and the AI For Good conference. Renowned for its ability to paint and converse, Ai-Da will demonstrate these skills during the lecture, painting a portrait of Professor Wooldridge while engaging in a meaningful dialogue about the nuances of artificial intelligence.

Professor Wooldridge aims to demystify the technology. He commented: "Artificial intelligence has a huge potential to make all our lives better, but it does not come without risk and, like all areas of science, advances in the field could create losers as well as winners." He emphasises the importance of a collective understanding of AI, particularly for younger generations who will live with AI as a constant presence in their lives.

Ai-Da Robot expressed its enthusiasm for the event, stating: "I’m thrilled to talk with Professor Mike Woodridge during his Royal Institute Christmas lectures on artificial intelligence. As an artist robot, I’ll be painting his portrait as well as engaging in dialogue that I hope with inspire the upcoming generation in a fusion of art and technology."

The Christmas Lectures will be filmed at the Royal Institution's theatre, with plans to broadcast them on BBC Four and iPlayer in the week between Christmas and New Year.

Tom Coveney, BBC Commissioning Head of Science, said: “It feels like barely a day goes by without another shocking newspaper headline or scintillating drama storyline about AI; so much so that separating the latest science fact from science fiction can be bewildering for those of us without a PhD in computer science.

“I’m thrilled that Mike’s bringing his unrivalled expertise to this year’s Lectures, to help us all understand what could be the biggest technological transformation of our lives.”

In a related development, the first humanoid robot factory is scheduled to open soon in the US, with the capability to produce more than 10,000 robots per year. As Ai-Da makes its case to the world, this factory marks a significant step in the advancement and accessibility of humanoid robots.