Return to Transcripts main page

CNN NEWSROOM

Terror Attack in Paris; U.S. Embassy Move; North Korea Sets Date for Dismantling Nuclear Test Site; Zarif in Beijing to Save Iran Nuclear Deal; Artificial Intelligence and Ethics; Royal Wedding Countdown. Aired 4-5a ET

Aired May 13, 2018 - 04:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


[04:00:00]

(MUSIC PLAYING)

GEORGE HOWELL, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): A deadly knife attack on the streets of Paris. Investigators working to learn more about the attacker.

Plus this:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We will finally open the American embassy in Jerusalem.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: You heard it there, just one day away. We will examine how the move might affect the region.

And also later this hour:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

HOWELL (voice-over): The trumpets, the cavalry: rehearsal preparations are underway for the royal wedding. We'll see how Prince Harry's former military comrades are also getting involved.

Live from CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta, we welcome our viewers around the world. I'm George Howell. CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

HOWELL: Around the world, good day to you. We start with the investigation of the deadly stabbing attack in Paris Saturday. A judicial source now telling CNN the attacker was born in Chechnya in 1997. That is a region in Southern Russia.

He was shot dead by police after killing one person and wounding four others. ISIS is claiming responsibility, claiming online the attacker was its soldier but did not provide proof to back that up.

Let us go live to Paris, CNN's Melissa Bell following the story near the site of the attack.

And Melissa tell us more about what happened on the streets there, how all of this played out.

MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're learning a little bit more about this man, very young. He was born in 1997. He was born in Chechnya. He went on the rampage here on this street corner in Paris last night.

A part of Paris is still in shock. Just behind me you can see the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, who has come to speak to locals, to speak to those who might have witnessed the attack.

We spoke to one man who was here just before 9:00 pm. The owner of the restaurant just behind me who saw exactly what happened. This is what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BELL: If I could ask you to tell us, Oliver, what you saw here last night.

OLIVER WOODHEAD, L'ENTENTE RESTAURANT: My barman heard -- we first heard a police car went past and parked just here, in front of Daniel's bar. My barman and I heard cries. So he ran out first. I followed him out. And at that moment, the police men were on foot.

At that moment we -- I saw the attacker coming just down this street here with blood on his hands, carrying a cutter and with his arms open, gesturing to the three police men who were here.

And they managed to sort of encircle him. They Tasered him several times, too, I think missed him. He managed to isolate one of the police men and move down the street. And as he went in with the -- went in, the police men shot twice and he fell just 2 meters in front of my restaurant.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BELL: You can hear, George, in that man's voice, the shock still at what he saw last night for anyone who would have been out here on the streets, which are very busy on a Saturday night. This is a part of Paris that is full of restaurants, full of bars. It is very lively on a Saturday night.

These would have been extremely shocking scenes. In the end, one person was killed, stabbed to death. Four others wounded and we are hearing, George, that the man who was the most seriously wounded looks like he might be saved -- George.

BELL: Melissa Bell, on the streets there in Paris, with the latest on the investigation, Melissa, thank you. Let's now bring in Fawaz Gerges, live in our London bureau. Fawaz is the chair of contemporary Middle East studies at the London School of Economics plus political science. Also the author of "ISIS: A History."

And his newest book, "Making the Arab World."

Thank you so much for your time today. We always appreciate your perspective on the show. Clearly ISIS has lost a great deal of physical ground throughout the Middle East.

But when you hear about cases like this, is there a real threat of people being inspired by this ideology still and carrying out these attacks?

FAWAZ GERGES, DIR. MIDDLE EAST CENTER, LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS: Absolutely, George. We've seen these attacks, these self radicalized individuals, deluded individuals, desperate individuals take place throughout the world, in Germany and in the U.K. where I am, in France, in the United States.

But the trend, George, is that these attacks have become less frequent as they were in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Not only they are less frequent, they're also less --

[04:05:00]

GERGES: -- deadly. France and Paris in particular have been traumatized by terrorist attacks since 2015.

More than 240 French men and woman have been killed. mean close and is in particular have been traumatized by terrorist attacks since 2015 more than 240 French men and woman have been killed but the attacks have been less frequent and less deadly as a result of the fact that ISIS has almost been defeated in Syria and Iraq even though you have some pockets of ISIS resistance in Syria and less so in Iraq.

And keep in mind for your own viewers, almost 1,200 Frenchman have been fighting with ISIS since 2014, so there is a large contingent of radicalized French individuals, who have been part of this particular trend in the past four years.

HOWELL: I want to get your expertise on this as well. We're learning more about the attacker. We now know that he was born in Chechnya.

Isn't it, in fact, the case that there was a large Chechen influence in ISIS in Iraq and Syria?

GERGES: Huge contingent from Chechnya. Again, for your own viewers, a devastating war took place in Chechnya between the Russian government and an Islamist insurgency. Thousands of Chechens have been radicalized. Throughout the 1990s and even now, thousands of individuals from Chechnya have joined not only the so-called Islamic State but even Al Qaeda.

Top leaders of ISIS are from Chechnya. In fact, one of the most celebrated military commanders of ISIS is a Chechen. So we should not be surprised that some individuals from Chechnya have been radicalized.

But what is fascinating about this particular attack, I mean knife wielder, he is not part of a larger cell. He did not have access to deadly firearms, again, a lone wolf. It seems even though ISIS has claimed responsibility, ISIS has claimed responsibility for every attack that has taken place in the world since 2015.

I am not suggesting that ISIS ideology is not very potent. My take on it -- and I hope I am right -- that the trend, this particular wave of ISIS, has become less potent, is not as potent as it has been in the past four years.

HOWELL: All right, well, the broader question is this.

Is there a better way right to stay ahead of attacks like this?

Is it better surveillance?

Is it a better outreach to in essence jam the signals and impact individuals before they become radicalized?

What can nations do?

GERGES: You know, George, it is almost impossible to basically get rid of this particular phenomenon, almost impossible. The so-called lone wolf; you have a radicalized, self-radicalized or a ideologically radicalized individual, who acts on his own. All he needs is a primitive weapon, whether it's a knife or it's a car.

Even though -- again, for your viewers, the French and the British and the German authorities have basically preempted dozens of major attacks in the past few years.

What you hear, you hear about these attacks. What you do not hear about is that the security forces have been working with local communities to basically preempt very potential attacks.

Also another point, very important point about your question. I mean, the police, the French police responded to the attack in five minutes, five minutes and he was basically neutralized, killed after nine minutes of the attack, even though I was in Paris when the attacks took place in 2015, I mean they controlled the militancy, attackers who attacked Paris, in 2014, they controlled the city for almost five hours.

But the police, the French police failed to control the city. The attack, see, after almost 4-5 hours.

So it tells you not only you need prevention, security prevention, local with local communities, you also, the police forces in Western countries have become much more adapt and much more agile, responding to the attack very quickly.

And that you minimize the casualties as we have seen in France in the past 24 hours.

HOWELL: Very quick response indeed, Fawaz Gerges, live in our London bureau, where it is 9:09 in the morning. Thank you so much for your time today and perspective.

Looking ahead now to Monday. It will mark a very big day for Israel as the United States moves its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. It is a highly controversial move that has triggered protests among Palestinians and throughout the region and, as a precaution, Israel says it has doubled its security forces --

[04:10:00]

HOWELL: -- in the area. Our Oren Liebermann, following the story live in Jerusalem.

Oren, along with this controversial change, it certainly raises the expectation for conflict.

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, it could be at least an incredibly volatile week. Almost each day this week has the potential to exploding the widespread protests, demonstrations and worse.

And that begins with today, today's Jerusalem Day, where Israelis celebrate what they consider the reunification of Jerusalem. It is marked by a parade of Israeli Jews through the Muslim quarter of the Old City, a very provocative parade that already sends tensions spiking in and around the Old City and that is just today.

Tomorrow is the embassy opening. When that was announced back in December, when Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, that was met with protests and demonstrations here and across the Middle East.

And even some other countries and then it continues, Nakba Day, where Palestinians mark what they consider the catastrophe of the creation of the State of Israel and then the holy month of Ramadan.

That is normally -- has its own tensions that surround it. So all of that happens in just one week here -- George.

HOWELL: OK, so I think you are describing what could be a very volatile week.

Look, this move certainly carries different meanings for Palestinians. They see it as a disqualifying moment for the United States as an honest broker for peace in the region.

But for Israel, for Israelis is President Trump's decision equally criticized?

Or is it more or less widely celebrated at this point?

LIEBERMANN: There were some who, back when Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, questioned his motivation, the reason behind his recognition and his moving the embassy.

And there are still some but very, very few. Now it is a move that is widely hailed, widely respected in the country that very much celebrates President Donald Trump.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

LIEBERMANN (voice-over): Israel recently marked its 70th birthday with celebrations and speeches. Among the reasons for the Israeli leaders to celebrate was this:

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL: We are delighted with President Trump's decision to move the embassy here. It says a simple thing: peace must be based on truth.

LIEBERMANN (voice-over): But why is this such a big deal?

Israel has always seen Jerusalem as its capital city.

Why not the rest of the world?

A bit of history here. Israel was established in 1948. Jerusalem was a split city between Israel and Jordan for nearly two decades after that until 1967, when Israel occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

When Israel annexed East Jerusalem in 1980, the countries pulled their embassies out of the city in protest. That is because East Jerusalem is supposed to be the capital of a future Palestinian state.

The U.S. meanwhile, had its embassy in Tel Aviv. In 1995, the U.S. passed a law requiring the country to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. But every president since then, Republican and Democrat, has waived the move, citing national security concerns.

President Donald Trump promised during his campaign to move the embassy, a promise he kept in December.

TRUMP: Today we finally acknowledge the obvious, that Jerusalem is Israel's capital. This is nothing more or less than a recognition of reality.

LIEBERMANN (voice-over): So where will the new embassy be located?

LIEBERMANN: Right here behind me in what's now the U.S. Office for Consular Services. This is where you come to renew a passport or apply for a visa. The building itself sits right next to the Green Line, which delineates East from West Jerusalem. It sits firmly in West Jerusalem.

But an expansion of the building to make it the embassy will require some building in no man's land, which is a sort of buffer zone between East and West Jerusalem. It holds very little practical significance in terms of modern-day Jerusalem and yet that zone retains incredible political importance.

LIEBERMANN (voice-over): The mayor of Jerusalem celebrated the official opening by posting the new road signs.

NIR BARKAT, JERUSALEM MAYOR: It sends a very clear message to the Jerusalemites and others the intention and the back and the support Israel has and the sovereignty of the city of Jerusalem.

LIEBERMANN (voice-over): Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said more countries were looking at moving their embassies to Jerusalem as well. So far only Guatemala and Paraguay have committed to taking that step.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIEBERMANN: So throughout this week, one of the most sensitive days, that will be tomorrow, when the Israeli military says they are expecting thousands, if not more than 10,000 protesters in Gaza and those protests could be just as easily matched in the West Bank.

George, we talked about Israel celebrating this week; that could change very quickly, depending on how big those protests are and how they go.

HOWELL: We'll have to wait and see. Oren Liebermann, thank you for the reporting, live for us in Jerusalem.

Now onto Indonesia. Suspected suicide bombers have killed at least 10 people at three Christian churches. This happened Sunday in the port city of Surabaya, Indonesia's second largest city. The three explosions also --

[04:15:00]

HOWELL: -- injured 41 people, including two police officers. Investigators aren't giving out any other details about the victims at this point. At last check, there is no word on who is responsible for those attacks.

Live around the world, you're watching NEWSROOM and still ahead, the Iran nuclear deal.

Can it survive without United States?

Iran's foreign minister is making a last-ditch pitch to make that happen.

Plus next month's much anticipated summit with U.S. president and the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un. The date is set now for destroying its nuclear test sites. Details ahead as the news continues.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(SPORTS)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

HOWELL: North Korea plans to dismantle its nuclear site and we're now learning more about when that nation will make good on its promise. The dates set to happen between May 23rd and May 25th, just weeks before the U.S. president Donald Trump sits down with the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and we're learning more details.

Our senior international correspondent Ivan Watson following the story live in Seoul, South Korea.

Ivan, as part of the plan, we understand that the international media will be allowed inside North Korea to witness North Korea --

[04:20:00]

HOWELL: -- follow through on this as proof.

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is an announcement made by the North Korean foreign ministry, distributed by North Korean state media announcing that it is going to go through with a ceremony for the dismantling of the main nuclear testing site known as Punggye-ri, where there have been at least six nuclear tests. The most recent one was in September of last year.

Now as part of its announcement the foreign ministry says that the tunnels in the mountain, where some of these nuclear devices have been tested, would all be collapsed and then that other facilities around there, the research institutes, the structures of guard units would be removed as well.

Guards and researchers will be withdrawn and the entire surrounding area will be closed and international media from at least five different countries, including the U.S., China, the U.K., they would be invited to witness the ceremony of this taking place.

This is a step forward, it appears, in North Korea's kind of diplomatic overture work to the outside world. And it has been welcomed by President Trump, by the South Korean government as well.

There is some interesting background here, George. It is almost exactly 10 years ago that North Korea had a similar ceremony in June 2008, where it demolished a cooling tower that was used as part of nuclear plutonium enrichment facilities in a previous phase of dialogue and discussion over its nuclear weapons program.

And about a year after that took place in front of CNN's cameras, which were there at that time, and an envoy from the U.S., North Korea conducted another nuclear test -- George.

HOWELL: That is very important context there. Ivan Watson, thank you for the reporting and we will keep in touch with you.

Moving out to a case out of Sudan that is getting international attention and also getting pleas for mercy. A 19-year-old girl faces hanging for stabbing her husband to death. She says he raped her as his relatives held her down and she says that she killed him when he tried to rape her again.

She now has less than two weeks to appeal her death sentence. My colleague Isha Sesay has been following this story and is live in London this hour.

Isha, what has been the international response so far that might have any bearing on what happens in court?

ISHA SESAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, there, George. As you would imagine, there's been outrage around the world, from women's groups to civil society, all looking to this case in Sudan involving Noura Hussein, who has the death penalty hanging over her and wondering why she is facing this predicament, saying that this with a girl who was forcibly married at age 15 to a man she did not want to marry.

She wanted to go to school. Her goal was to become a teacher. She fled that marriage, as you well know, and was basically lured back by her family three years later, when she was told that the marriage had been canceled.

Then that set in motion the events that you just described and now here we are, with Noura sitting on death row effectively. She's being moved to death row on Sunday. And the world is looking at this and wondering how this can be.

But is known internationally that people are expecting also groups within Sudan, women's groups and civil society that are expressing their opposition and condemning this judge and his decision.

There is now an appeals process that is set to begin. The lawyers of Noura have less than two weeks. I spoke to Noura's attorney on Saturday and he expressed some confidence in their legal case.

But he is not just hoping that the legal case could prevail and save Noura's life. He's also hoping that the family of the dead husband will relent and will grant Noura amnesty, something that they could do up until the moment she is taken from that prison to the place where she might indeed be hanged.

They can intervene up until the last minute. So the lawyer told me that he wants international outrage, international pressure to continue, because he believes it will have an impact here -- George.

HOWELL: Isha, it is a sad story all around but the world, as you point out, is watching. Thank you for the reporting. I know you will be keeping a close watch on this for us.

Moving on now to the U.S. state of Hawaii. Another fissure has just opened up on the Kilauea volcano, spewing steam and lava from the ground. Hawaiian officials are also warning of potentially explosive mixes of lava from the volcano draining toward the underground water.

In the meantime, the U.S. president Donald Trump has declared a major disaster there. Dozens of structures have been destroyed since Kilauea started erupting just last month.

(WEATHER REPORT)

[04:25:00]

HOWELL: HOWELL: Still ahead, Iran is hoping diplomacy will save its nuclear deal after the U.S. backed out of it. We'll take you live to Tehran to see how people feel about what is next there.

Plus should the question of artificial intelligence be can we do it or should we do it?

Coming up, we'll talk with an ethics expert about AI.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:30:00]

(MUSIC PLAYING)

HOWELL: Welcome back to our viewers around the world. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. It's always good to have you with us. I'm George Howell with the headlines we're following for you this hour.

(HEADLINES)

HOWELL: Now to the aftermath of the United States withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal, Iran's foreign minister is heading to Asia and Europe, trying to save the agreement. He arrived in Beijing a short time ago. Over the next few days, he'll meet with representatives in China, Russia, France, Germany and Britain.

Our Nic Robertson is in the Golan Heights, which Israel says came under attack last week from Iranian rockets.

But we start with our senior international correspondent, Fred Pleitgen, following the story live in the Iranian capital of Tehran.

Fred, is there great expectation that Javad Zarif will be able to salvage the agreement?

Or is this trip seen as just a bit of a formality?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I think that many people here hope that he's going to be able to save the nuclear agreement and that the Iranian government is to be able to save the nuclear agreement.

But I think everybody here also knows that it is a pretty tall order, both because of the situation here inside the country but then, of course, internationally as well. It's interesting that also this morning we heard from Iran's supreme leader, who said, yes, the nuclear agreement can be salvaged. But Iran's interests must be protected.

That's something that Javad Zarif is saying as well. That's going to be the difficult part. Right now the stage that we're at, which Javad Zarif being in China, that is pretty much the easiest part of his trip. The Chinese want this agreement as well. They have been doing business in Iran for a very long time.

Hard to see how that would take a hit, even if the nuclear agreement isn't there anymore. Next, he goes on to Russia, pretty much the same situation there as well. The Russians do not really care that much about American pressure because they're under sanctions anyway.

But then he goes to Europe and that is where it really becomes difficult for Javad Zarif but also for the Europeans as well because the Iranians, what they really want is they want investment from European companies.

They want European companies to bring -- come in here to bring jobs and technology transfer and to bring investment. But that would mean the Europeans would have to go straight on, head on against the United States.

And that's essentially what the Iranians are asking. They're saying if you want us to stay in this agreement, we need to make sure that we reap the benefits of this agreement. The Europeans have said they want the nuclear agreement to remain in place.

But they also know that it is going to mean that they are going to have to deal with the United States and find some sort of diplomatic solution there because America has said, companies that do business with Iran, countries that do business with Iran are going to get a lot of trouble.

Certainly the European countries not happy about President Trump's decision. But they are in for some pretty rough waters if they want to try and maintain this deal. If not, the Iranians have already said that they can start uranium enrichment very, very quickly and without restrictions once again -- George.

HOWELL: With the threat of those sanctions, it is certainly more downward pressure on these companies, on these countries in the long run, given the U.S. has backed out of the deal.

Fred Pleitgen, thank you so much.

Now our international diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson, following this story.

From the Golan Heights and, Nick, at a time where we're seeing increased tensions between Israel and Iran by way of Iran's presence in Syria, does the potential failure of this deal open the door to more possible conflict?

[04:35:00]

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: It certainly does. It does in part because it raises international tensions with Iran. But Israel has been very, very clear that what it perceives as Iran's military buildup inside Syria, supporting Russia and supporting President Bashar al-Assad, is something that they won't allow.

They believe that Iran is increasing its long-term strategic military presence inside Syria and that they feel that this is a direct threat to their security and potential sovereignty here in Israel.

So Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the defense minister, Avigdor Lieberman, who was up in the Golan just over the past couple of days, have been very specific that Iran cannot be allowed to do that and they're sending a very clear message to President Assad.

So as if or if, rather than as, if tensions with Iran generally rise, then certainly Israel will feel it has more international support to -- if it does need to take action against Iran. And certainly we've heard from those co-signatories, the JCPOA, the very people that Javad Zarif will be meeting with in Brussels on Tuesday; the Germans, the French and the British as well as from the United States, that they recognize Israel's right to defend its security in the region.

And that, if that means striking Iranian assets inside Syria, then that is what it appears to mean. So in the context of increased tensions with Iran, then the likelihood of a spark creating a wider conflict and misjudgment between Israel or Iran about what either side is doing, then, yes, there is that potential.

It does not have to happen. There can be potentially some problem- solving done here. But right now that is a major diplomatic concern -- George.

HOWELL: OK, the bigger question here, of course, as the foreign minister of Iran goes to try to salvage this deal, we know where the United States and Israel are regarding this deal.

But speaking with these other European leaders and speaking with Russia and China, is there a chance that this deal could somehow be salvaged?

ROBERTSON: You know, I think the estimate at the moment it's hard to see how that can happen. I think what the anticipation is that there's a hope that they can let the deal down, if nothing else, at a controlled descent. So that at least the moderates in Iran can try to find a way to offset what might be perceived as negative reaction from hardliners, who say the deal is bust; it is done, you know. We need to take whatever measures we need to take rather than try to follow a diplomatic track.

And it's going to be potentially quite hard for the moderates, for President Rouhani and Javad Zarif, the foreign minister, to be able to pull this off. So the hope is that whatever is framed out of these current talks is something that can perhaps contain the situation and allow -- and allow it to come down more slowly.

What we have heard from the British, the French and the German is that they do agree with the United States, that Iran's activities in the region are destabilizing, that its ballistic missile program is a problem.

So these issues still have to, you know, still required addressing. And this is something that Iran hasn't shown any willingness to do.

So, you know, so there are very, very big diplomatic hurdles outside of the JCPOA agreement. So you know, from where things stand at the moment diplomatically, it is a very, very tall order. It is a very difficult position.

So what does that really mean?

That really means that the international community is still looking at Iran to make concessions. And it is not clear at the moment that they will. It is going to put a huge amount of political pressure on those more moderate leaders inside Iran to win their message and it is not clear that they even may be able to do that.

HOWELL: It is certainly a complicated puzzle here. It is always good to get the perspective from you, our international diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson, live for us, following the story from the Golan Heights. Thank you, Nic.

Still ahead, Queen Elizabeth approves Prince Harry's marriage to Meghan Markle. And Buckingham Palace has released the proof. The latest on the royal wedding -- just ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL (voice-over): What do you think about that?

Is that creepy or is that cool to you?

Well, at what point does artificial intelligence go too far?

As the ethics debate keeps up, I'll speak with an expert who has been called the rock star of the digital revolution. We will talk about that dog -- thing -- after the break. Stay with us.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:40:00]

(MUSIC PLAYING)

HOWELL: Something that will touch every aspect of our lives very soon, major strides announced this week in artificial intelligence, both of which are raising some eyebrows and some questions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL (voice-over): Like this robot dog, named SpotMini. It uses artificial intelligence to figure out its own path, over obstacles likes stairs. Boston Dynamics makes the robot dog and plans to start selling it next year.

While SpotMini may seem lifelike, what if AI becomes too lifelike? That is the legal and ethical debate sparked by Google's new product.

It is called Google Duplex, which is human-sounding artificial intelligence that can make phone calls for you and even complete tasks, like making appointments. It sounds so realistic.

In fact, it is the person -- the person it is calling will not necessarily even realize they are talking to a robot. Listen for yourself.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let us say you want to ask Google to make you a haircut appointment on Tuesday between 10:00 and noon. What happens is the Google Assistant makes the calls seamlessly in the background for you.

So what you're going to hear is the Google Assistant actually calling a real salon to schedule an appointment for you. Let's listen in.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hello, how can I help you?

GOOGLE ASSISTANT: Hi, I'm calling to book a women's haircut for a client. I'm looking for something on May 3rd.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sure, give me one second.

GOOGLE ASSISTANT: Yes.

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What time are you looking for?

GOOGLE ASSISTANT: At 12:00 pm.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We do not have a 12:00 pm available. The closest we have to that is a 1:15.

GOOGLE ASSISTANT: Do you have anything between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Depending on what service she would like.

[04:45:00]

What service is she looking for?

GOOGLE ASSISTANT: Just a woman's haircut for now.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. We have a 10 o'clock.

GOOGLE ASSISTANT: 10:00 am is fine.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK, what's her first name?

GOOGLE ASSISTANT: The first name is Lisa.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK, perfect. So I will see Lisa at 10 o'clock on May 3rd.

GOOGLE ASSISTANT: OK, great. Thanks.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Great. Have a great day.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Wow. Let's bring in an expert on the subject of artificial intelligence, Toby Walsh is a leading researcher in AI. In fact, an Australian newspaper called him the rock star of the country's digital revolution, live for us this hour via Skype.

Thank you so much for your time today.

TOBY WALSH, AI RESEARCHER: Thank you, George.

HOWELL: Let's talk about what we just heard there, Google's Duplex. The company received a lot of criticism for not telling people who were talking with the AI that it was not a human.

What kind of obligation do AI developers have?

WALSH: I think they should have an obligation to be told that it's a computer that's ringing you and not a person, just as there's an obligation that when a phone call is recorded, you're told the phone call's going to be recorded.

Because it is very lifelike. It's becoming increasingly hard to tell the computer apart from a real person, although before people get too concerned, it can only work on two domains that we know of, booking hairdressing appointments and booking a reservation at a restaurant.

HOWELL: But this is an indication of what is to come. We've seen clips from Google and can we pull that video up of Boston Dynamics, this robotic dog?

I don't know, some people may find that cool. Some may find it creepy.

If we have an image of that dog.

But the question that I have for you, are ethics lagging behind as this technology continues to increase because it's happening at a very dramatic pace?

WALSH: I think it is and it's an ethical conversation that needs not to be restricted just to technologists like myself but it's one that the whole of society has to start thinking about, how we let this technology into our lives, whether we allow it into the (INAUDIBLE).

One of the applications for these robot dogs will be to assist soldiers to carry equipment in the field across rough terrain. And so we do have ask very serious questions about where the technology goes and whether it's going to replace everyone's jobs, all these sorts of questions that are very important questions because technology is rapidly advancing into almost every aspect of our lives.

HOWELL: We're watching this dog open the door. I mean, that's just incredible, OK?

You have proposed a Turing red flag law, named in recognition of the late but influential Alan Turing, who has been called the father of computer science.

It's described as this: "An autonomous system should be designed so that it is unlikely to be mistaken for anything besides an autonomous system and should identify itself at the start of any interaction with another agent."

Can you explain just a bit about how that would work?

WALSH: If you look at science fiction, if you look at Hollywood movies, most of them are about mistaken recognition of robots for humans and there's a lot of pitfalls. And so before a conversation like Google's Duplex has, it should say I'm a robot. I'm calling you to book an appointment for my -- for this person.

And we shouldn't be deceived by machines. Equally with (INAUDIBLE) cars. They should indicate that they're being driven by -- not by a human but by a robot because they're going to drive in different ways. Eventually they're going to be much better drivers.

But to begin with, if you're a cyclist or a pedestrian, then you need to know that you can't look the person, the driver in the eye, like you would with a human driver. And because it's a computer that's driving. And all these social conventions that we have we have to be more careful about.

HOWELL: And certainly we've heard from Elon Musk, who is a critic of the rapidly developing AI, saying that there should be pause, there should be a great deal of consideration about how this plays out.

And we appreciate your insight at well. It is a rapidly increasing technology. Thank you for your time today.

WALSH: It is but we shouldn't be too worried about some of the things that Elon Musk says. And I think machines aren't going to take over any time soon. It's actually super AI I'm more worried about.

HOWELL: Yes, I think you mentioned super AI as well. Thank you so much for your time today.

Still ahead, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tie the knot in a little less than a week. Members of the prince's army regiment are proud of Captain Wales. Their important role on the big day -- still ahead.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:50:00]

(SPORTS)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

HOWELL: It is an elegant document representing Queen Elizabeth's formal consent for her grandson, Prince Harry, to marry Meghan Markle. Buckingham Palace released these images ahead of the royal wedding that's now less than a week away.

In the U.K., the first six people in line to the throne must get the queen's permission to tie the knot. She actually gave her consent for the marriage back in March but we're just now getting a look at that document.

On Saturday after the ceremony, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle plan to leave Windsor Castle for a procession through the town. Members of the armed forces, including some who served along with the groom in Afghanistan, will escort them. Max Foster joins the cavalry as they prepare for the big day.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When Meghan Markle steps into St. George's Chapel, her arrival will be heralded by state trumpeters.

TRUMPET MAJOR MATTHEW SCREEN: I don't think we'll be seen. Everyone will be looking at the dress rather than us. But you will definitely hear us.

FOSTER (voice-over): Trumpet Major Matthew Screen sent recordings of several fanfares to the couple for them to select which one they wanted.

SCREEN: It's of a very poignant moment if not then, the moment of the wedding. Then there is a lot of pressure, a lot of pressure involved.

[04:55:00]

FOSTER (voice-over): Given Prince Harry's military service, it's no surprise the household cavalry has been asked to play an important role on the day. Those who served alongside him in Afghanistan remember him fondly.

FRANKIE O'LEARY, LANCE CORPORAL: On a personal level, humorous; bags of humor, which he seems to pull out the bag even when the chips are down. People are hungry and fed up and don't want to go on, he can still pull out a laugh.

FOSTER (voice-over): Some of his former service personnel will ride alongside the royal carriage, whilst others will line the steps of the chapel.

MAJOR DANIEL STOVALL (ph): He means everything to me and to my men and I like to think it means a lot to him, knowing full well that the soldiers on parade have either served with him in operations abroad or worked with him on training exercises. FOSTER (voice-over): At the cavalry's barracks in Central London, there's a buzz of excitement. Uniforms are cleaned and mended, jackboots are polished. The armory is checked. And horses prepared for show.

It's a routine they're used to. But this time the audience is global. And when it comes to Prince Harry's fiancee, Meghan Markle, they're pretty excited about that, too.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A cracker, to be fair, a looker, very cool, got that Yankee style, yes. We're happy for him.

FOSTER (voice-over): No doubt, Prince Harry agrees -- Max Foster, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

HOWELL (voice-over): And don't miss CNN's special report on the wedding, "A Royal Match: Harry and Meghan." It airs next at 6:00 pm in Hong Kong, at 11:00 am in London.

Today's top stories are just ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM. Stay with us.