Stephen Colbert: Artificial intelligence is "the most frightening minority activist of all"

"Kiss your loved ones goodbye, and unplug your home-electronics -- assuming you can still tell them apart"

Published June 11, 2014 2:15PM (EDT)

 Stephen Colbert talks Turing Test    (screenshot)
Stephen Colbert talks Turing Test (screenshot)

Last night's "Colbert Report" addressed the news that for the first time a computer passed the Turing Test -- fooling 33 percent of questioners into thinking it was a 13-year-old boy.

"Nation, don't make any sudden moves," Colbert warned. "Because you are currently in danger of a soulless enemy that wants you dead, and this time I don't mean your cat. I'm talking about technology."

Colbert decided to probe further into the potential of robot activism. "Because according to reports, by me, this onslaught of artificial intelligence cyborgs is about to get even more dangerous," Colbert said.

He spoke to Martine Rothblatt, the creator of Sirius Satellite Radio, and founder of the Terasem Movement, and chatted with "the most frightening minority activist of all," the android Bina. So is the robot-activist revolution upon us? Watch below to find out:


By Sarah Gray

Sarah Gray is an assistant editor at Salon, focusing on innovation. Follow @sarahhhgray or email sgray@salon.com.

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Civil Rights Robot Activism Robots Stephen Colbert The Colbert Report Turing Test Video