In the long run, we are telepathic androids | The Economist

by Hallie Siegel

14 May 2013

share this:

Kevin Drum looks to have set the topic for the day with his article in Mother Jones on the economics of our robotic future. The argument is a good recap of several points that have also turned up in speculation by others on what happens once artificial intelligence surpasses human intelligence and robots start replacing us not just in manual labour or repetitive processing tasks, but in, well, everything. I think Mr Drum [is] failing to integrate one more special factor about the artificial-intelligence revolution, though. Here’s the thing about robots: they will be telepaths.

Vine-inspired robotic gripper gently lifts heavy and fragile objects

MIT News 23 Jan 2026

The new design could be adapted to assist the elderly, sort warehouse products, or unload heavy cargo.

Robot Talk Episode 140 – Robot balance and agility, with Amir Patel

Robot Talk 16 Jan 2026

In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Amir Patel from University College London about designing robots with the agility and manoeuvrability of a cheetah.

Taking humanoid soccer to the next level: An interview with RoboCup trustee Alessandra Rossi

AIhub and Lucy Smith 14 Jan 2026

Find out more about the forthcoming changes to the RoboCup soccer leagues.

Robots to navigate hiking trails

Christopher Tatsch 12 Jan 2026

Find out more about work presented at IROS 2025 on autonomous hiking trail navigation via semantic segmentation and geometric analysis.

Robot Talk Episode 139 – Advanced robot hearing, with Christine Evers

Robot Talk 09 Jan 2026

In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Christine Evers from University of Southampton about helping robots understand the world around them through sound.

Meet the AI-powered robotic dog ready to help with emergency response

Texas A&M University 07 Jan 2026

Built by Texas A&M engineering students, this four-legged robot could be a powerful ally in search-and-rescue missions.

MIT engineers design an aerial microrobot that can fly as fast as a bumblebee

MIT News 31 Dec 2025

With insect-like speed and agility, the tiny robot could someday aid in search-and-rescue missions.

Robohub highlights 2025

Lucy Smith 29 Dec 2025

We take a look back at some of the interesting blog posts, interviews and podcasts that we've published over the course of the year.