These robots know when to ask for help
MIT Technology Review December 8, 2023
Large language models combined with confidence scores help them recognize uncertainty. That could be key to making robots safe and trustworthy.
There are two bowls on the kitchen table: one made of plastic, the other metal. You ask the robot to pick up the bowl and put it in the microwave. Which one will it choose?
A human might ask for clarification, but given the vague command, the robot may place the metal bowl in the microwave, causing sparks to fly.
A new training model, dubbed “KnowNo,” aims to address this problem by teaching robots to ask for our help when orders are unclear. At the same time, it ensures they seek clarification only when necessary, minimizing needless back-and-forth. The...