A robot is set to become the first non-human to appear as a witness before the UK Parliament. The Commons Education Select Committee invited Pepper the robot from Middlesex University to give evidence at a hearing taking place next week about artificial intelligence, robotics and the fourth industrial revolution. "If we've got the march of the robots, we perhaps need the march of the robots to our select committee to give evidence," Committee chair Robert Halfon told Tes. "The fourth industrial revolution is possibly the most important challenge facing our nation over the next 10, 20 to 30 years." The Independent has reached out for more details about the appearance. Despite dystopian predictions and dire warnings of robots and AI taking over people's jobs, the government has previously expressed interest in the potential of robotic technology.