From exercising more to learning a new language and quitting smoking to making more time for family and friends, most of us make New Year’s resolutions that are positive, personal but unfortunately and ultimately doomed to fail and by now most of us would have quit. Uber-geek Mark Zuckerberg, on the other hand, has taken his New Year’s resolution that little bit further, promising the world that he will develop an AI butler, just like Iron Man’s Jarvis, by the end of the year.
Previously, Zuckerberg’s resolutions have seen him successfully learn Mandarin, read two books a week and only eat meat he’s killed himself, so there’s every reason to believe he’ll complete his mission before the year is out. By making AI butlers a reality, Mark Zuckerberg will once again change the world forever, transforming the way future generations will live, interact and develop for good.
AI Butlers
Mark Zuckerberg plans to begin his project by learning more about the existing AI software on the market. Technology like Amazon’s Echo will form the basis of his studies, though he soon plans to move on to designing and building his own bespoke programme.
As well as controlling basic household functions like the heating, lighting and electronics, the AI Butler will be able to let friends into the home using facial recognition, alert Zuckerberg if there’s anything in his daughter’s room that he needs to check on and carry out a myriad of other functions and services around the house.
Will household robots become a reality?
With entrepreneurs like Zuckerberg turning their attentions to artificial intelligence, the question isn’t IF robots will become an everyday reality, but WHEN. There is already a wealth of AI products on the market that allows homeowners to control their property remotely or via voice control, and the advances that are set to be made over the next 12 months are sure to push these technologies forward.
However, an AI butler and a household robot are two very different things. Artificial intelligence relies on coding, data and pattern recognition to perform tasks and carry out functions, whereas robotics also requires a huge amount of engineering know-how and expertise.
Though Zuckerberg’s New Year’s resolution may bring everyday AI a step closer, the time when we’ll each have our very own C3PO to do our washing up, ironing and vacuuming is, unfortunately, still a long, long way away.
