podcast robots

The Rise of Machines

Practice new words with your Skypeclass English Teacher

Are robots and artificial intelligence taking over from humans? Dan and Neil discuss the rise of the machines

An American company has said its ambition is to achieve an AI that can beat humans at any intellectual task. But can machines ever out-think humans?

Dan and Neil discuss the rise of artificial intelligence.

This week’s question:

The word ‘robot’ as we use it today was first used in a 1920’s Czech play ‘Rossum’s Universal Robots’. But before this, what was its original meaning?

a) forced labour
b) metal man
c) heartless thing

Listen to the programme to find out the answer.

Vocabulary

inevitable
cannot be avoided or stopped

infallible
never failing

surpasses
becomes better than

benevolent
kind and helpful

sentient
able to think for itself

far-fetched
difficult to believe