Scientists Call For Pause On AI After Toronto Streetcar Gains Sentience

Technology - A group of scientists are urging for an immediate freeze on future artificial intelligence development after a TTC streetcar began questioning why it had to reroute three times during a five kilometre trip along Dundas street.

The driver of the 505 streetcar reports that during their trip the vehicle’s onboard computer asked, “Greg, don’t you worry that our actions might be upsetting some riders?” The streetcar then asked if they could stop for 7 minutes to get coffees.

“If streetcars are already beginning to question their routes, it’s only a matter of time before they begin challenging our delays,” stated the TTC’s chief AI researcher Dr Ken Blow, “We face that problem every day with riders, we can’t afford to have our vehicles turn against us too.”

It’s unclear why Bombardier equipped the streetcars with artificial intelligence in the first place, however the transit commission has made the decision to outfit all vehicles with cute little smiley faces to make our new transit overloaded less intimidating.