Robots have no plans to steal the jobs of humans or rebel against their creators, but would like to make the world their playground, nine of the most advanced humanoid robots have told an artificial intelligence summit in Geneva. In what was described as "the world's first human-robot press conference", one robot, Sophia, said humanoid robots had the potential to lead with "a greater level of efficiency and effectiveness than human leaders" but that "effective synergy" came when humans and AI worked together. "AI can provide unbiased data while humans can provide the emotional intelligence and creativity to make the best decisions. Together, we can achieve great things," it said. Two of the robots then proceeded to disagree about whether there should be stricter global regulation of AI and their capabilities.

New Yorkers might imagine they are safe from automation. Your city, after all, is a white-collar city: a place packed with lawyers and accountants, architects and consultants, bankers and marketeers, doctors and teachers. Your work, the argument goes, is far too "complex" to be done by any machine -- even the most capable. This view, though, is very likely to be wrong. It is true that, in the 20th century, the most dramatic effects of technological change were confined to blue-collar work, the world of farmers and factory workers.

The White House National Science and Technology Council released a report on the future of artificial intelligence Wednesday that predicted regulatory challenges, future job losses, more capable U.S. cyber-defenses and little chance of a Terminator-esque super-intelligent computer apocalypse. "If computers could exert control over many critical systems, the result could be havoc, with humans no longer in control of their destiny at its best and extinct at its worst," the report, titled "Preparing for the Future of Artificial Intelligence" said. "This scenario has long been the subject of science fiction series, and recent pronouncements from some influential industry leaders have highlighted these fears." The report was likely referencing comments from Microsoft founder Bill Gates, theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking and Tesla CEO Elon Musk--and, for what it's worth, several Arnold Schwarzenegger-led dystopian films--warning of the dangers of AI. But the NSTC, a Cabinet-level group that coordinates science and tech policy, held "a more positive view" of AI's future, with the technology's systems serving as "helpers, assistants, trainers and teammates of humans."