WATCH: Robotic Dog That ‘Will Not Replace People’ Struts Its Stuff for Biden
During his visit to North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University in Greensboro, President Joe Biden was given a “briefing” on Spot, one of the Boston Dynamics robot “dogs” that have already enjoyed some Twitter fame.
Spot was “strutting his stuff” for the president, as the AP’s Darlene Superville put it. A strange moment that captured for posterity.
Here’s ‘Spot’ the robotic dog strutting his stuff for President Biden during his visit to North Carolina A&T in Greensboro. pic.twitter.com/U8b3ZTFyBw
— darlene superville (@dsupervilleap) April 14, 2022
In a statement, the White House described Spot as “a robotic dog that can maneuver through complex environments to conduct remote missions.”
In video released from the briefing, Biden can be seen watching the robotic dog as it moves around the room. The man giving the briefing says Spot can open and close doors, move down stairs, and grab things.
“It’s not going to replace people,” he says. “It’s only going to enhance what we have the capability to do.”
.@POTUS touring The Martin Complex at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University.
Meet Spot the robot ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/vKvpLKN1Qn
— Karine Jean-Pierre (@KJP46) April 14, 2022
On the Boston Dynamics website promoting Spot, they tout that the creation can be used for everything from construction projects to manufacturing jobs. The dog is controlled remotely using an application.
The White House celebrated Biden’s tour by students and staff, but many on Twitter seemed a bit unsure of how to react to the leader of the free world hanging out with a robot dog he is assured will “not replace people.” Biden and Spot appeared to get along well though. Spot even bowed to the president when they met.
.@POTUS received a briefing on Spot, a robotic dog that can maneuver
through complex environments to conduct remote missions. pic.twitter.com/OPKBag95zi— Jenny Leonard (@jendeben) April 14, 2022
“Be very afraid…” Wall Street Journal reporter Vivian Salama tweeted in reaction, a sentiment that was echoed in one way or another by plenty of others.
This is extremely creepy to me lol https://t.co/Sj1vZmXt2s
— Rebecca Shabad (@RebeccaShabad) April 14, 2022
future tweet: “The robot dog adopted by the Bidens electrocuted a Secret Service agent and has been rehomed to an Amazon shipping facility” https://t.co/9IQwMUbpGv
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) April 14, 2022
Some also brought up the fact that Spot has been a celebrity for some time now, and he was even almost a cop. The New York Police Department reportedly had a contract with Boston Dynamics that was canceled last year after a public outcry when folks learned police might actually be using Spot.
The NYPD’s dystopian robo-dog is hanging out with POTUS https://t.co/oozju4O5DZ pic.twitter.com/KWD4McPylh
— Dr. Jorge A. Caballero stands with 🇺🇦 (@DataDrivenMD) April 14, 2022
—