There were the ancient Egyptians, who built statues of gods that, when hit by the sun, appeared to talk to astonished crowds, and Leonardo da Vinci, who designed one of the very first robots, a robotic knight which was able to sit, stand, and move its arms.

古埃及人建造了神像，當太陽照射到神像時，神像就會向驚訝的人群說話；達文西設計了最早的機器人之一--一個能坐、能站、能移動手臂的機器人騎士。

Those, of course, were one-off curiosities, but now robotics is big business and has been for years.

當然，這些都是一次性的奇思妙想，但現在，機器人技術已經成為一項大業務，而且多年來一直如此。

The manufacturing sector has relied on robots on production lines for decades, and consumers have embraced things like automated vacuum cleaners, toys, and teaching aids.

幾十年來，製造業一直依賴生產線上的機器人，而消費者也對自動吸塵器、玩具和教具等產品青睞有加。

Most of the robots we use today don't look like us, but the advent of AI has propelled the industry forward.

我們今天使用的大多數機器人都不像我們，但人工智能的出現推動了整個行業的發展。

And 2024 saw record levels of funding for humanoid robotics.

而在 2024 年，仿人機器人技術的資金投入達到了創紀錄的水準。

So why the obsession with making robots human?

那麼，為什麼要執著於讓機器人成為人類呢？

An often-cited reason is the embodiment theory, that is, we're creating machines that need to function in a human-designed world.

一個經常被引用的原因是 "體現理論"，即我們創造的機器需要在人類設計的世界中運行。

Take a door, for instance.

以門為例。

A robot needs to be human-sized to navigate getting through one.

機器人需要有人類大小，才能在其中穿行。

Too tall or wide and it won't fit, too short and it can't reach the door handle.

太高或太寬都不合適，太矮又夠不著門把手。

To turn the handle, the robot will need dexterous hands.

要轉動手柄，機器人需要一雙靈巧的手。

And having two legs means it can step over any obstacle, climb stairs, and generally take up less space.

有兩條腿意味著它可以跨過任何障礙物，爬樓梯，而且一般來說佔用的空間更少。

Then there's the societal argument.

然後是社會方面的爭論。

Some say we create machines that look like us because it helps with interaction and collaboration.

有人說，我們創造與我們相似的機器，是因為這有助於互動和協作。

We simply respond better to things if we can identify with them.

如果我們能對事物產生認同感，我們就會對其做出更好的反應。

Some psychologists also think that it adds credibility.

一些心理學家還認為，這增加了可信度。

If robots take human form, then they're seen as more intelligent.

如果機器人具有人類的外形，那麼它們就會被視為更加智能。

There is a flip side, though, and it's known as the uncanny valley.

不過，也有相反的一面，這就是所謂的 "不可思議谷"。

First coined by robotics professor Masahiro Mori in 1970, the hypothesis states that we generally react positively to human-like machines, but as they become more human-like, we develop unease or even repulsion.

該假說由機器人學教授森雅弘（Masahiro Mori）於 1970 年首次提出，指出我們通常會對類似人類的機器做出積極反應，但當它們變得更像人類時，我們就會產生不安甚至排斥。

Curiously, the hypothesis goes on to state that as robots become almost indistinguishable from humans, we once again view them positively.

奇怪的是，該假設接著指出，當機器人變得幾乎與人類無異時，我們會再次對它們產生好感。

Getting the uncanny valley right, then, is a big focus for developers.

是以，如何正確處理 "不可思議谷 "是開發人員關注的焦點。

One of the most high-profile proponents of human-like androids is Elon Musk.

埃隆-馬斯克（Elon Musk）是最受矚目的類人機器人支持者之一。

Tesla unveiled the first generation of its robot Optimus in 2022, and the company is hoping to deploy the robots in its factories by the end of 2024.

特斯拉於 2022 年推出了第一代機器人 Optimus，該公司希望到 2024 年底在其工廠中部署這種機器人。

They'll be available for purchase more widely the year after.

它們將在後年更廣泛地銷售。

This is a key reason behind why we're making these robots.

這就是我們製造這些機器人的關鍵原因。

We want them to work for us.

我們希望他們為我們工作。

Globally, there is a massive shortage of workers in key sectors like manufacturing.

在全球範圍內，製造業等關鍵部門的工人嚴重短缺。

According to one estimate, up to 8 million factory jobs globally could be left unfilled by 2030.

據估計，到 2030 年，全球可能會有多達 800 萬個工廠崗位空缺。

Having robots to do some of these repetitive and mundane tasks could go some way to filling that gap.

讓機器人來完成這些重複性的瑣碎工作，可以在一定程度上填補這一空白。

They can also help fill dangerous jobs.

他們還可以幫助填補危險的工作崗位。

NASA, for instance, has developed Valkyrie, a humanoid robot it says can be used in challenging environments such as natural disaster areas or offshore oil rigs.

例如，美國國家航空航天局（NASA）開發了 Valkyrie 人形機器人，並稱這種機器人可用於自然災害區或海上石油鑽井平臺等挑戰性環境。

The end goal is to send Valkyrie to space, where it can focus on tasks like maintaining the spacecraft, freeing up exploration time for human astronauts.

最終目標是將 Valkyrie 送上太空，讓它專注於維護飛船等任務，為人類太空人騰出探索時間。

However, there are still hurdles to overcome.

然而，仍有一些障礙需要克服。

Making a human-like machine is more complex and more expensive than ordinary robotic systems, and with more components, there are more things that can go wrong.

與普通機器人系統相比，製造類似人類的機器更加複雜，成本也更高，而且部件更多，可能出錯的地方也更多。

Bias is another issue.

偏見是另一個問題。

Like in AI, some critics point out we're creating machines that simply perpetuate stereotypes.

就像人工智能一樣，一些批評者指出，我們正在製造的機器只會讓陳規陋習永久化。

Robots in healthcare are often given more female characteristics, and those doing manual labor, male ones.

醫療保健領域的機器人通常被賦予更多女性特徵，而從事體力勞動的機器人則被賦予男性特徵。

And then there are the worst-case scenarios, often depicted in science fiction.

還有科幻小說中經常描繪的最壞情況。

Could robots gain consciousness and turn on their creators, like in Ex Machina or Blade Runner?

機器人會不會像《機械姬》（Ex Machina）或《銀翼殺手》（Blade Runner）中那樣，獲得意識並背叛自己的創造者？

Could they be built with the purpose of harming humans, like in The Terminator?

它們會不會像《終結者》中那樣，以傷害人類為目的？

One thing is certain, growing investment into the sector means we're going to see a lot more robots around us.

可以肯定的是，對該行業不斷增長的投資意味著我們身邊將出現更多的機器人。

Billionaire venture capitalist Vinod Khosla predicts we could see a billion bipedal robots by 2040, and Goldman Sachs estimates that the global market for humanoid robots could reach $38 billion by 2035.

億萬富翁風險投資家維諾德-科斯拉（Vinod Khosla）預測，到 2040 年，我們將看到 10 億個雙足機器人，而高盛（Goldman Sachs）估計，到 2035 年，仿人機器人的全球市場規模將達到 380 億美元。