Skip to main content

Robot fail: Android cusses at two BBC presenters live on air

Foul-mouthed robot abuses BBC Breakfast presenters
The old showbiz quote “never work with children or animals” needs updating.

After just having seen an android drop the f-bomb live on the BBC’s nationwide breakfast show, it’s time we added robots to the list.

Recommended Videos

In a shocking moment that will’ve had early risers across the U.K. choking on their Rice Krispies, a robot called Linda appeared to say “f**k you” to two presenters live on air.

Linda had been in the TV studio for the entire show as part of the BBC’s special week-long look at artificial intelligence.

Turning to Linda at the end of the show, presenters Charlie Stayt and Louise Minchin warmly thanked the robot for her contribution. However, Linda’s response could be best described as unexpected.

“F**k you Charlie, f**k you Louise,” she seemed to reply. A stunned Stayt said flatly, “Yes, OK Linda. Back in your box.”

Although Linda was apparently saying “thank you” and not “f**k you,” it clearly sounded like the latter.

Stayt doesn’t appear to have much luck when it comes to robots. In another unfortunate incident, this one back in March, the BBC anchor managed to crash a virtual presence robot he was controlling. You can check it out below.

Charlie Stayt crashes a robot live on BBC Breakfast (11Mar15)
Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
The best portable power stations
EcoFlow DELTA 2 on table at campsite for quick charging.

Affordable and efficient portable power is a necessity these days, keeping our electronic devices operational while on the go. But there are literally dozens of options to choose from, making it abundantly difficult to decide which mobile charging solution is best for you. We've sorted through countless portable power options and came up with six of the best portable power stations to keep your smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other gadgets functioning while living off the grid.
The best overall: Jackery Explorer 1000

Jackery has been a mainstay in the portable power market for several years, and today, the company continues to set the standard. With three AC outlets, two USB-A, and two USB-C plugs, you'll have plenty of options for keeping your gadgets charged.

Read more
CES 2023: HD Hyundai’s Avikus is an A.I. for autonomous boat and marine navigation
Demonstration of NeuBoat level 2 autonomous navigation system at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show

This content was produced in partnership with HD Hyundai.
Autonomous vehicle navigation technology is certainly nothing new and has been in the works for the better part of a decade at this point. But one of the most common forms we see and hear about is the type used to control steering in road-based vehicles. That's not the only place where technology can make a huge difference. Autonomous driving systems can offer incredible benefits to boats and marine vehicles, too, which is precisely why HD Hyundai has unveiled its Avikus AI technology -- for marine and watercraft vehicles.

More recently, HD Hyundai participated in the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, to demo its NeuBoat level 2 autonomous navigation system for recreational boats. The name mashes together the words "neuron" and "boat" and is quite fitting since the Avikus' A.I. navigation tech is a core component of the solution, it will handle self-recognition, real-time decisions, and controls when on the water. Of course, there are a lot of things happening behind the scenes with HD Hyundai's autonomous navigation solution, which we'll dive into below -- HD Hyundai will also be introducing more about the tech at CES 2023.

Read more
This AI cloned my voice using just three minutes of audio
acapela group voice cloning ad

There's a scene in Mission Impossible 3 that you might recall. In it, our hero Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) tackles the movie's villain, holds him at gunpoint, and forces him to read a bizarre series of sentences aloud.

"The pleasure of Busby's company is what I most enjoy," he reluctantly reads. "He put a tack on Miss Yancy's chair, and she called him a horrible boy. At the end of the month, he was flinging two kittens across the width of the room ..."

Read more