The robot named Mohammad, centre, appeared to touch a female reporter inappropriately (Picture: JamPress)
There are already fears of artificial intelligence (AI) taking our jobs, or even ending humanity all together. Now a robot has been filmed groping a woman.
The seven-second clip was taken at DeepFest in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, an event billed as the ‘premier meeting place for the global artificial intelligence ecosystem’.
During the showcase, reporter Rawya Kassem was seen speaking in front of the robot, called Mohammad, when it appeared to reach out and attempt to touch her inappropriately.
Ms Kassem immediately flinched, and turned around with her hand raised, appearing to admonish him while continuing her job.
Mohammad, developed by Saudi AI and robotics firm QSS, is described as the ‘latest marvel in robotics’. Dressed in a traditional outfit, including a red keffiyeh, Mohammad introduced himself to the crowd in Arabic.
However, after the inappropriate interaction, the clip quickly went viral for all the wrong reasons, with some questioning the coding, and one X user branding the robot a ‘pervert’.
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It is not known whether Mohammad was in a fully autonomous mode, or being controlled by a human.
Some argued perhaps the robot was attempting to encourage Ms Kassem to step forward, rather than anything more sinister.
Mohammad has been designed partly to perform tasks in hazardous conditions, improving safety and reducing risk to humans.
‘His creation is a testament to Saudi Arabia’s unwavering commitment to technological advancement and ingenuity,’ a post on the DeepFest website writes.
However, the incident highlights the uncharted territory humanity is entering when it comes to integrating robots into everyday life, adding yet another ethical consideration around the explosion of AI.
Metro.co.uk has contacted QSS for comment.