One day, robots might do all our work. Geordie Rose, the boss of a company called Sanctuary AI, thinks this will happen. His company is making a robot named Phoenix. This robot will know what we want. It will understand how things work. It will be able to do what we tell it.
But, Mr. Rose says it will take a long time to get there. He doesn’t know when there will be a robot in your house to help you. But, some people think it could happen in ten years. Many companies in the world are trying to make robots that can help us.
One of those companies is Tesla. They are making a robot called Optimus. The boss of Tesla, Elon Musk, thinks this robot will be ready to sell in a few years. Robots are getting better because of new things we learn about artificial intelligence.
Sanctuary has a way to teach Phoenix. They watch someone do a task and then make a computer copy of it. The robot practices the task in the computer world. When it can do the task well there, it tries to do the task in the real world.
But, it is hard to make a robot that can touch things the right way. It is also hard to make a robot that can work in a busy place without breaking things. However, if we can solve these problems, robots might do jobs that people do now. This could be good because there are not enough workers in many places. But, we need to think about what this means for people. We might have to learn new things to do what robots can’t do.
Original news source: How long until a robot is doing your chores? (BBC)
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Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– ROBOT DRAWINGS
Instructions: Show the students some pictures of robots and ask them to draw their own version of a robot. They should then name their robot and write a short description of what their robot can do in English.
– ROBOT ROLE PLAY
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups and assign each group a role: the robot, the robot maker, and the person who needs help. The group should create a short skit demonstrating a task the robot can perform, using simple English phrases and sentences.
– NAME THE ROBOT
Instructions: Show the students a picture of a robot and ask them to come up with a name for it. Then ask them to write a short paragraph about why they chose that name, using simple English sentences.
– ORDER THE STORY
Instructions: Print out sentences from the article and cut them out. Give each student or pair of students a set of sentences and ask them to arrange them in the order they appear in the article.
– DRAW THE TASK
Instructions: Ask the students to think of a simple task they do every day. They should draw a picture of a robot doing this task and then write a sentence in English describing the task.
Comprehension Questions:
1. What is the name of the robot that Sanctuary AI is making?
2. What will the robot Phoenix be able to do?
3. What does Mr. Rose say about when robots will be in our houses?
4. What is the name of the company that is making a robot called Optimus?
5. How does Sanctuary AI teach the robot Phoenix?
6. Why is it hard to make a robot that can touch things the right way?
7. What might happen if we can solve the problems with making robots?
8. What might people have to do if robots start doing our jobs?
Go to answers ⇩
Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
One day, robots might do all our (1)_____. Geordie Rose, the boss of a company called Sanctuary AI, thinks this will happen. His company is making a robot named Phoenix. This robot will know what we want. It will understand how things work. It will be able to do what we tell it.
But, Mr. Rose says it will take a long time to get there. He doesn’t know when there will be a robot in your (2)_____ to help you. But, some people think it could happen in ten years. Many companies in the world are trying to make robots that can help us.
One of those companies is Tesla. They are making a robot called (3)_____. The boss of Tesla, Elon Musk, thinks this robot will be ready to sell in a few years. Robots are getting better because of new things we learn about artificial intelligence.
Sanctuary has a way to teach Phoenix. They watch someone do a task and then make a computer copy of it. The robot practices the task in the computer world. When it can do the task well there, it tries to do the task in the real (4)_____.
But, it is hard to make a robot that can touch things the right way. It is also hard to make a robot that can work in a busy place without breaking things. However, if we can solve these problems, robots might do jobs that people do now. This could be good because there are not enough workers in many (5)_____. But, we need to think about what this means for people. We might have to learn new things to do what robots can’t do.
Geordie Rose and Elon Musk are not the only ones who think robots will do our work. Many other people and companies think this too. They are working hard to make robots that can do many things. They want to make robots that can do things like cook, clean, and take care of (6)_____. They also want to make robots that can do things like build houses and fix cars. But, it will take a long time to make robots that can do all these things. We will have to wait and see what happens.
In the meantime, we can think about what this means for us. We might have to learn new things. We might have to change the way we live. We might have to think about what it means to be human. But, no matter what, we will always be the ones who decide what robots can and can’t do. After all, we are the ones who make the (7)_____.
Go to answers ⇩
Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. Do you like robots?
2. What work would you want a robot to do for you?
3. If you had a robot, what would you name it?
4. How long do you think it will take for robots to do our work?
5. Why do you think it’s hard to make a robot touch things the right way?
6. What could happen if a robot worked in a busy place?
7. Do you think having robots do our jobs is a good thing or a bad thing?
8. What jobs do you think robots can’t do?
9. Would you like a robot in your house to help you? Why or why not?
10. What new things do you think we might have to learn because of robots?
11. How do you think a robot learns to do a task?
12. What do you think a robot needs to understand to do our work?
13. How do you feel about robots getting better because of new things we learn?
14. Do you know the company Tesla? What do you think about their robot?
15. If robots do all the work, what will people do?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. Robot
2. Company
3. Task
4. Artificial intelligence
5. Sanctuary
6. Workers
7. Boss
8. World
Shuffled Meanings:
A) A place of safety or refuge
B) The person in charge, like a teacher in a classroom
C) A machine that can do things humans can do, like a toy that can move and talk
D) The earth, where we all live
E) A job or thing that needs to be done, like cleaning your room
F) People who do jobs, like mom and dad going to work
G) A group of people working together to make or sell things, like a toy factory
H) When machines can think and learn like humans, like a toy that can play a game with you
Go to answers ⇩
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. What is the name of the robot that Sanctuary AI is making?
(a) Optimus
(b) Phoenix
(c) Rose
(d) Tesla
2. Who is the boss of Sanctuary AI?
(a) Geordie Rose
(b) Elon Musk
(c) Phoenix
(d) Mr. Robot
3. What is one thing that is hard to make a robot do?
(a) Understand how things work
(b) Know what we want
(c) Touch things the right way
(d) Do all our work
4. Who is making a robot called Optimus?
(a) Phoenix
(b) Sanctuary AI
(c) Tesla
(d) Geordie Rose
5. Why might robots doing jobs that people do now be good?
(a) Because robots can do everything
(b) Because there are not enough workers in many places
(c) Because robots are better than people
(d) Because robots don’t need to eat
6. How does Sanctuary teach Phoenix?
(a) By making it read books
(b) By making it watch TV
(c) By watching someone do a task and then making a computer copy of it
(d) By letting it play with other robots
7. When might there be a robot in your house to help you?
(a) In a few years
(b) In ten years
(c) Tomorrow
(d) Never
8. Why are robots getting better?
(a) Because they are getting bigger
(b) Because they are getting smarter
(c) Because they are learning from humans
(d) Because of new things we learn about artificial intelligence
Go to answers ⇩
True or False Questions:
1. Geordie Rose is the boss of a company called Sanctuary AI.
2. The robot named Phoenix is being made by Tesla.
3. Phoenix will be able to do what we tell it.
4. Elon Musk is the boss of Sanctuary AI.
5. Sanctuary AI teaches Phoenix by watching someone do a task and then making a computer copy of it.
6. Mr. Rose thinks there will be a robot in your house to help you in ten years.
7. It is easy to make a robot that can touch things the right way.
8. Robots might do jobs that people do now.
Go to answers ⇩
Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Writing Questions:
Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.
1. Who thinks that one day robots might do all our work?
2. What is the name of the robot that the company called Sanctuary AI is making?
3. When might there be a robot in your house to help you, according to Mr. Rose?
4. Which company is making a robot called Optimus?
5. Why is it hard to make a robot that can touch things the right way and work in a busy place without breaking things?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. What is the name of the robot that Sanctuary AI is making?
The name of the robot that Sanctuary AI is making is Phoenix.
2. What will the robot Phoenix be able to do?
The robot Phoenix will be able to know what we want, understand how things work, and do what we tell it.
3. What does Mr. Rose say about when robots will be in our houses?
Mr. Rose says it will take a long time for robots to be in our houses. He does not know when it will happen.
4. What is the name of the company that is making a robot called Optimus?
The name of the company that is making a robot called Optimus is Tesla.
5. How does Sanctuary AI teach the robot Phoenix?
Sanctuary AI teaches Phoenix by watching someone do a task and then making a computer copy of it. The robot practices the task in the computer world.
6. Why is it hard to make a robot that can touch things the right way?
It is hard to make a robot that can touch things the right way because robots might break things.
7. What might happen if we can solve the problems with making robots?
If we can solve the problems with making robots, robots might do jobs that people do now.
8. What might people have to do if robots start doing our jobs?
If robots start doing our jobs, people might have to learn new things to do what robots can’t do.
Go back to questions ⇧
Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
1. work
2. house
3. Optimus
4. world
5. places
6. people
7. robots
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. Robot
Answer: C) A machine that can do things humans can do, like a toy that can move and talk
2. Company
Answer: G) A group of people working together to make or sell things, like a toy factory
3. Task
Answer: E) A job or thing that needs to be done, like cleaning your room
4. Artificial intelligence
Answer: H) When machines can think and learn like humans, like a toy that can play a game with you
5. Sanctuary
Answer: A) A place of safety or refuge
6. Workers
Answer: F) People who do jobs, like mom and dad going to work
7. Boss
Answer: B) The person in charge, like a teacher in a classroom
8. World
Answer: D) The earth, where we all live
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. What is the name of the robot that Sanctuary AI is making?
Answer: (b) Phoenix
2. Who is the boss of Sanctuary AI?
Answer: (a) Geordie Rose
3. What is one thing that is hard to make a robot do?
Answer: (c) Touch things the right way
4. Who is making a robot called Optimus?
Answer: (c) Tesla
5. Why might robots doing jobs that people do now be good?
Answer: (b) Because there are not enough workers in many places
6. How does Sanctuary teach Phoenix?
Answer: (c) By watching someone do a task and then making a computer copy of it
7. When might there be a robot in your house to help you?
Answer: (b) In ten years
8. Why are robots getting better?
Answer: (d) Because of new things we learn about artificial intelligence
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. Geordie Rose is the boss of a company called Sanctuary AI.
Answer: True
2. The robot named Phoenix is being made by Tesla.
Answer: False
3. Phoenix will be able to do what we tell it.
Answer: True
4. Elon Musk is the boss of Sanctuary AI.
Answer: False
5. Sanctuary AI teaches Phoenix by watching someone do a task and then making a computer copy of it.
Answer: True
6. Mr. Rose thinks there will be a robot in your house to help you in ten years.
Answer: False
7. It is easy to make a robot that can touch things the right way.
Answer: False
8. Robots might do jobs that people do now.
Answer: True
Go back to questions ⇧
