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Agence France-Presse

A walking, talking robot appeared in Britain’s parliament for the first time on Tuesday, prompting Twitter users to seize the chance to heap more mockery on Prime Minister Theresa May.
The latest round of public amusement at the expense of the British premier came during a committee hearing on artificial intelligence and “the fourth industrial revolution”.

MPs on the education committee invited a robot named Pepper to answer some basic questions.
Asked whether humans would have a place in a brave new world where AI reigns supreme, Pepper responded in a reassuring voice.
“Robots will have an important role to play, but we will always need the soft skills that are unique to humans: to sense, make, and drive value from technology,” the robot said.

She was asked about a few more completely unscripted matters before panellists moved on to discuss ethics and social injustice.
Pepper listened and twirled her head a few times.
UK leader Theresa May tries to unite fractured party at ‘toughest phase’ of Brexit talks
Comparisons to the premier’s propensity to dance in a robotic manner and speak with methodic precision – traits that earned her the nickname “Maybot” – quickly appeared on Twitter.
“Thats fantastic....but can it do the Maybot,” asked someone named Hugh Duffy.
“Theresa May is looking almost human these days,” Benedict Smyth offered.


And even the PoliticsHome website chipped in with: “NEW: A witness gave a robotic performance in front of a Commons committee... but it wasn’t Theresa May.”
The British leader has turned into a subject of periodic jokes on social networks as she struggles to pull her country out of the European Union without causing too much damage.
British PM May tries to rally her Conservative Party with vision of ‘a better future’
She has particularly taken to dancing – something she did twice during an August trade mission to Africa and then at a Tory party conference this month.
Her moves did not earn high marks from bemused Britons. They also spawned an entire family of Maybot Twitter accounts pretending to speak in the prime minister’s name.


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Artificial intelligence

Robot’s debut in UK parliament provokes ‘Maybot’ mockery for PM Theresa May

The appearance of Pepper the robot at a UK education committee provoked comparisons to Theresa May. Photo: AFP/PRU

A video grab from footage broadcast by the UK Parliament's Parliamentary Recording Unit (PRU) shows a robot called Pepper attending an Education Select Committee hearing in London on October 16, 2018. - A walking and talking robot appeared in Britain's parliament for the first time on Tuesday -- MPs on the education committee invited a robot named Pepper, part of an international research project at Middlesex University, to answer some basic questions. (Photo by HO / various sources / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT " AFP PHOTO / PRU " - NO USE FOR ENTERTAINMENT, SATIRICAL, MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS

UK leader Theresa May tries to unite fractured party at ‘toughest phase’ of Brexit talks

Prime Minister Theresa May dances as she arrives on stage to address delegates at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham on October 3 , 2018. Photo: AP

British Prime Minister Theresa May arrives on stage dancing to Abba's 'Dancing Queen' before delivering her keynote address on the final day of at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham, Britain, October 3, 2018. REUTERS/Darren Staples

epa07066133 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May delivers her Leaders Speech at the Conservative Party in Birmingham, Britain, 03 October 2018. The Conference runs from 30 September to 03 October 2018. EPA-EFE/NEIL HALL

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Boris Johnson addresses delegates at a Conservative Home fringe meeting on the third day of the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham, Britain, October 2, 2018. REUTERS/Toby Melville

Attendees take their seats to listen Boris Johnson, former U.K. foreign secretary, delivers his speech to the Conservative Party annual conference in Birmingham, U.K., on Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2018. Theresa May is battling to assert her authority as U.K. prime minister after a disastrous start to her party's annual conference threatened to explode into a full-blown leadership crisis. Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg

Conference attendees queue to attend a speech by Boris Johnson, former U.K. foreign secretary, at the Conservative Party annual conference in Birmingham, U.K., on Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2018. Theresa May is battling to assert her authority as U.K. prime minister after a disastrous start to her party's annual conference threatened to explode into a full-blown leadership crisis. Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg

Boris Johnson addressing the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham on October 2, 2018. Photo: AP

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‘We are very concerned about the impact that foreign buyers have on the housing market’

A pedestrian looks at residential property on display at Foxtons Group Plc estate agents offices in the Muswell Hill district of London, U.K., on Tuesday, July 31, 2018. U.K. house prices bucked their recent trend with a modest pick up in growth in July, according to Nationwide Building Society. Photographer: Chris J. Ratcliffe/Bloomberg

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May: ‘We are very concerned about the impact that foreign buyers have on the housing market’. Photo: AFP

British PM Theresa May faces Tory fire over Brexit as Hammond attacks Boris Johnson

Theresa May, UK prime minister, reacts as she sits in audience during the Conservative Party annual conference in Birmingham, UK, on Sunday, September 30, 2018. May is battling to assert her authority as UK prime minister after a disastrous start to her party’s annual conference threatened to explode into a full-blown leadership crisis. Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg

FILE - In this Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018 file photo, Britain's former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson reacts to seeing photographers taking his picture as he sits in a spectator seat whilst attending the fifth cricket test match of a five match series between England and India at the Oval cricket ground in London. Boris Johnson says Prime Minister Theresa May's blueprint for Brexit will lead to "political and economic disaster," and refuses to rule out trying to replace her. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)

FILE PHOTO: Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond, leaves 11 Downing Street in London, March 14, 2018. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo

Jeremy Hunt, U.K. foreign secretary, speaks during the Conservative Party annual conference in Birmingham, U.K., on Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. Prime Minister Theresa May is battling to assert her authority as U.K. prime minister after a disastrous start to her party’s annual conference threatened to explode into a full-blown leadership crisis. Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg

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World

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Pepper’s appearance at an education panel on artificial intelligence inspired internet users to compare the machine to Prime Minister Theresa May


Pepper’s appearance at an education panel on artificial intelligence inspired internet users to compare the machine to Prime Minister Theresa May.


Offbeat

Theresa May

Britain

Robot’s debut in UK parliament provokes ‘Maybot’ mockery for PM Theresa May

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Pepper’s appearance at an education panel on artificial intelligence inspired internet users to compare the machine to Prime Minister Theresa May

Pepper’s appearance at an education panel on artificial intelligence inspired internet users to compare the machine to Prime Minister Theresa May