A first in a country where robots are already very present. But this time it’s an extra step taken with this humanoid robot and its artificial intelligence.
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Posted on 2022-09-28 4:57 PM Updated on 2022-09-28 5:02 PM
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It’s not science fiction. A robot woman has just been appointed boss of a large Chinese company. One of the leading video game providers in China, NetDragon Websoft, is behind this premiere and has entrusted its subsidiary, Fujian NetDragon Websoft, to artificial intelligence. The idea actually dates back a few years. In 2017, thanks to AI, the company decided to create a virtual character and give him responsibility. At the time, the company wanted to show its customers that the artificial intelligence it was developing for its games could also work in the real life of the company.
So this character is Tang Yu, a female robot who initially held the position of the company’s #2 before being promoted to the position of the company’s rotating CEO. It’s unprecedented. NetDragon Websoft has several thousand employees and billions of dollars under management. Internally, it’s billed as a virtual digital leader, but it still has a physical appearance. The robot CEO’s face appears on computer screens in the form of a humanoid, with her severe costume, her perfect haircut. Thanks to artificial intelligence, she can also express herself.
But does the robot really run the business? Yes and no, because obviously it’s people who program the robot and can unplug it at any time. Their powers are therefore not unlimited, but once the program is started, the robot CEO works almost “normally”. She is able to approve and sign documents like any CEO, but also manage projects, evaluate employee performance and possibly decide on sanctions. “Tang Yu will streamline processes, improve work item quality and execution speed,” NetDragon said. The company emphasizes its rationality and logic because, unlike humans, it has no feelings. The robot CEO has the advantage of working 24 hours a day, all without pay.