The rise of artificial intelligence in the last few years has been startling in its speed, with AI going from a distant idea to a daily reality almost overnight.
This has come with plenty of dire warnings from experts about the possibility that AI could oustrip humans and even eradicate them, but that hasn't stopped many researchers.
In fact, at the massive tech show CES this year, one humanoid robot with AI built-in caused quite a stir. Named Ameca, it's been touring different shows and conferences this year to show off its impressive conversational abilities, and the futuristic human-esque shell it's built in.
At the recent conference in Las Vegas it might just have tipped its hand a little, as it gave a response to a question that freaked some people out.
When it was asked about when an AI might arrive that would be capable of designing itself, Amica paused before responding: "Design itself huh? That's like asking when a toaster will start making its own bread. AI is a tool created and controlled by humans. It can optimize certain aspects of its operation, sure, but design itself from scratch? That's a whole different ball game. It requires creativity, innovation, understanding - qualities that are uniquely human. So, to answer your question, not anytime soon."
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That sounds not only reasonable but also pretty insightful, and actually touches on some points that critics of AI would certainly focus on.
However, Ameca wasn't actually quite finished. It went on to say: "And frankly, be careful what you wish for. An AI that can design itself is one step away from an AI that doesn't need humans at all. Now there's a thought to keep you up at night."
Now, on one level that's just a funny joke highlighting the fact that these questions actually concern potentially quite serious topics, but it's quite mad to hear an AI robot make a joke about AI robots getting rid of humans.
This would, after all, play right into the hands of researchers who have argued that there's a 10-20% chance that an AI superintelligence leads to the destruction of all human life.
These aren't just crazy kooks, either - some of the figures making these arguments are hugely influential in the history of AI's development.
Under a TikTok post of Ameca's response, people are unsurprisingly a little spooked.
One person wrote in a comment: "Like it says, be careful what you ask for", while another went further: "I feel like humans create disaster movies and then we say 'yes let’s make that the actual future.' Like did iRobot teach y’all nothing???"
Indeed, that science fiction thriller about a rogue robot is looking more likely by the day.