A bizarre incident has unfolded at Gumi City Hall in South Korea. Last week, a robot assistant deployed at the council apparently committed “suicide” by jumping from a staircase while on duty. The incident occurred when the robot, recently hired in August, was reportedly seen “circling in one spot as if something was wrong.”
The robot sustained damage after falling from the two-meter-high stairs. City council officials stated that parts of the robot have been collected and will be analyzed by the manufacturer.
Built by California-based Bear Robotics, the robot assistant worked from 9 am to 4 pm, transporting documents, assisting visitors, and promoting the city.
City Hall employees are reportedly quite saddened by the loss. Currently, there are no plans to hire another robot. A city hall official stated, “It was officially a part of city hall, one of us. It worked diligently.”
Local media has dubbed this event the country’s first “robot suicide.” However, this isn’t the first time a robot has been involved in such an incident. In 2022, a security robot in Washington D.C. seemingly committed “suicide” by submerging itself in a water fountain.
Later investigations revealed that the “death” of the robot named Steve was an accident, not a suicide. Steve simply slipped on a loose brick and fell.
The incident at Gumi City Hall raises questions about the ethical considerations surrounding artificial intelligence and robotics. Should robots be granted human-like emotions and rights? This is a question that will likely continue to be debated in the coming years.pen_sparktunesharemore_vert
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