I Sink, Therefore I Am: This Robot Wasn't Programmed For Existential Angst

The super high-tech security robot at our office complex has had a mishap. A Knightscope K5 security robot roamed the Prudential Center in Boston on May 22, 2017. A Knightscope K5 security robot roamed the Prudential Center in Boston on May 22, 2017. Some of the best minds of our times, including Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk, have warned that human beings may invent intelligent machines that could wind up destroying humankind. But a small incident this week might make you wonder: Will intelligent machines become so smart that they'll grow depressed as they learn they're brilliant but lifeless, and decide they can't go on?