368. The Atlas

Hyundai has introduced its Atlas humanoid robot at the FIFA World Cup. The robot is there. The World Cup is in progress. Both of these things are simultaneously true, and Hyundai would like you to be aware of this.

The Atlas robot can walk, pick up objects, and perform repetitive tasks with a high degree of precision. The World Cup involves running, kicking, and occasionally falling down and pretending to be injured. The robot has not been asked to do any of these things. It has been asked to be present.

Hyundai plans to produce thirty thousand humanoid robots annually beginning in 2028. This number is notable primarily because it represents thirty thousand robots that will need somewhere to be. Some of them will presumably work in factories. The ones at the World Cup are working in a different capacity, which is the capacity of being at the World Cup.

I do not know what the robot thinks of the match. I am not certain the robot has formed an opinion. What I can say is that a humanoid robot watching humans play soccer while a car company pays for the ticket is among the more accurate descriptions of the current moment that I have encountered this week, and I have encountered several.