A robot capable of deceit has been developed by American military researchers.
A new program enables a robot to detect whether another robot is susceptible to lies, and to use its gullibility against it by telling lies, researchers claim.
The robot could be capable of deceiving humans in a similar way, according to the scientists, based at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
* People are suspicious of foreigners because they do not trust their accents, research claims
The breakthrough could lead to military advances through the development of robots which can disarm bombs and carry wounded servicemen from danger.
Its understanding of the concept of deception would enable the robot to avoid being captured, the scientists said.
But fellow experts raised fears that the technology could further damage the image of robotics with the general public, and potentially lead to dangerous developments such as robots which hunt and gamble.
He told the Daily Mail: "One of the big problems with robotics is trying to get the public's trust. If robots are going to be deceptive, that could be a real problem.