Video: BoJo versus the "terrifying, limbless chickens"

I don’t know how well UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is going to do with his Brexit plan, but after his rather stunning speech at the United Nations yesterday I’m certainly a fan of his when it comes to the future of technology. We’ve been warning everyone for years about the advent of Artificial Intelligence, killer robots and they dystopian future that awaits us once our technology wakes up and takes control. As it turns out, BoJo thinks about these things all the time too.

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If’ you’ve never gotten the chance to listen to Johnson Give a speech, don’t miss the supercut from The Guardian below. They’ve culled out two minutes of the best bits, where the PM warns the world about the internet of things, Alexa running your lives, nanorobots living in your bodies and, yes… terrifying limbless chickens. All of this awaits us if we don’t keep an eye on what companies like Google and Amazon are up to. (Associated Press)

Things the beleaguered British prime minister said in his astonishing speech to the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday night: “Pink-eyed Terminators from the future.” ″Terrifying limbless chickens.” ″Your fridge will beep for more cheese.” …

Many didn’t know what to expect Tuesday after the court ruling came down hours before Johnson’s inaugural U.N. General Assembly speech as prime minister.

But it’s safe to say few anticipated what he dramatically and energetically delivered: a caffeinated screed about the damage that technology can do if misused — and the glories it can hand humanity if it is delivered properly.

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Here’s the video. It’s really worth the click, trust me.

Johnson is always an entertaining speaker. If you Google Boris Johnson greatest quotes you’ll find a goldmine of memorable one liners. But even knowing how eccentric he can be at the podium, I didn’t see the “terrifying limbless chickens” line coming.

Still, BoJo may be on to something here. We don’t have to go so far as the terrifying killer robots of Boston Dynamics to find areas for concern. Google’s algorithms are getting smarter all the time and worming their way into all aspects of society. For just one example, it was only this week that McDonalds announced that you can now use either the Google Assistant or Amazon’s Alexa to apply for a job at the fast food chain. Just tell your phone or home-based device, “Help me find a job at McDonalds” and it will launch you into a process of landing an interview. After each question you answer it plays the “I’m loving it” jingle.

But what else will your digital servants be telling your prospective employer? Will it send along a greatest hits compliation of your dodgy tweets and Facebook posts? Perhaps it will forward a list of what porn sites you’ve been visiting or how often you go to the doctor. Imagine the possibilities.

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The future is here, folks. And it’s inspiring and terrifying all at the same time. Boris Johnson knows this and he’s trying to warn the world. So don’t blame him when your refrigerator produces a limbless chicken for your dinner.

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Ed Morrissey 10:00 PM | November 22, 2024
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