In 2013, two Canadian professors set out to answer a strange question: Can robots trust humans? The result was a robot named Hitchbot. It wasn’t high-tech or futuristic-looking. In reality, it looked more like a child’s craft project. But its mission was serious: to travel across countries using only the kindness of strangers.

Hitchbot was a mix of pool noodles, a bucket, rain boots, and a talking head powered by AI. It couldn’t walk or move on its own. Instead, it stuck out its thumb and waited to be picked up by passing drivers. The robot had one goal: to hitchhike across a country from one side to the other.

The idea wasn’t just about travel. It was a social experiment to see how people treated a helpless, friendly robot. Hitchbot utilized AI to request rides, engage in small talk, and share updates on social media.

Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughing a whole lot while you do, then you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode today!

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