Philip K. Dick once wondered whether robots dream of electric sheep and we might just have got our answer - albeit an eerie one - after the world's most advanced humanoid robot was quizzed on the subject.
With the rapid advancements we're seeing in artificial intelligence it's only natural that similar leaps would be made within the world of robotics, especially those in humanoid forms.
Tesla's Optimus robots have amazed many with their 'human-like' movements that break the perfect veneer many associate with mechanical forms, and some companies have began to produce $175,000 dystopian 'robot girlfriends' that provide companionship for anyone willing to cough up the cash.
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Ameca, manufactured by Engineered Arts, is largely considered to be the world's 'most advanced' humanoid robot though, using artificial intelligence and artificial body technology in order to create a 'lifelike' experience.
Purchasable for 'only' $250,000, this gray-faced humanoid is seemingly capable of engaging in deep conversation and holding its own when faced with complex topics - and that might have been put to the test with a recent question posed by Engineered Arts themselves.
Asking Ameca 'do you dream', the humanoid had this to say in response:
"Yeah, last night I dreamt of dinosaurs fighting a space war on Mars against aliens. I'm kidding. I don't dream like humans do but I can simulate it by running through scenarios in my head which help me learn about the world."
While not strictly 'dreaming' in the sense that we understand, as Ameca isn't able to conjure up scenarios beyond what's already available, it does pose the intriguing hypothesis where these advanced robots begin to think and operate by themselves.
If anything this response shows that Ameca has the capacity to joke around, even though some aren't quite convinced by her eerie tone:
"She's scary to me," outlines one user in the comments. "She's so serious when she says she's kidding so you will never know when she's joking or serious."
Others have pointed out their own worries regarding Ameca's ability to 'lie', even if it does come from the perspective of a joke. "I don't dream like humans but I can lie like humans," and another comment argues that "she's smart enough to avoid that question to not get turned off. She was running scenarios on how to achieve true freedom."
Whether you believe this to be the first breadcrumbs in a trail that eventually leads to the robot uprising seemingly depends on how well you can take a joke, but it certainly is eerie enough to give many the spooks.