QSS, the artificial intelligence company responsible for developing the Saudi humanoid robot accused of molesting a female journalist, has defended the robot’s behavior, claiming it “did not deviate from expected behaviour”. The incident occurred during the DeepFest conference in Riyadh, where attendees were reportedly warned not to get too close to the robot, dubbed “Android Muhammad.”
exist Video recording the incidentIn the picture, the robot is standing next to a female robot and two reporters (one male and one female). The Mohammed robot appeared to reach out to the female reporter, briefly lifting the back of her suit jacket. Journalist Rawya Kassem reacted with surprise and signaled the robot to stop.
Saudi Arabia unveils humanoid AI robot Mohammed, reacts to reporters for debut pic.twitter.com/1ktlUlGBs1
— Megh Updates🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) March 6, 2024
QSS said the robot may have been trying to encourage Kasim to move forward on the stage, possibly preventing her from falling off the low pedestal. The company emphasized that all attendees, including journalists, had been informed to maintain a safe distance from the robot during the demonstration.
Although the incident raised concerns, QSS conducted an internal review of the video and circumstances and concluded that no unexpected behavior occurred. However, the company said it would take additional steps to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
QSS’s response mirrors common defenses in sexual misconduct allegations, with internal investigations often finding no wrongdoing and placing blame on the victim. The incident highlights the complexity of human-machine interactions and emphasizes the need for clear guidelines and safeguards in such interactions.
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