If you were to picture the ideal robot form to vacuum your floor all by itself, what do you see? Is it a small UFO-shaped disc that whizzes under couches, or is it a humanoid robot with eyes and ears tracking your every move? The new 1X Neo robot has been launched and has been marketed as a 'robot butler', but what issues arise when we start making the tech that serves us look more and more human?  

Also, a new AI chatbot designed for human companionship has been met with outright vitriol in New York. Friend is a wearable chatbot designed to literally replace human relationships, and people are not entirely on board. 

Plus, strict safety rules are set to be enforced for power banks on domestic flights, and Meta has just launched an AI briefing tool for Facebook users. 

GUESTS:

• Chris Berg, professor of economics at RMIT 
• Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson, future economies reporter at the Australian Associated Press 

This episode of Download This Show was made on Gadigal land, in Meanjin and in Naarm.