electronicalifornia

South Korea is assembling a panel of five to set ground rules for how humans and robots will interact in the future. The panel will call itself the “fellowship” and consists of two hobbits, a dwarf, an elf, and a ranger. According to the BBC News, the koreans aren’t the only ones looking ahead to THE FUTURE (said with echo):

Other bodies are also thinking about the robotic future. Last year a UK government study predicted that in the next 50 years robots could demand the same rights as human beings.

I’ve read that report. A policeman with a general distrust of robots had to investigate a crime committed by one. He ends up becoming friends with it and the robot helps him solve the crime. Waaaiitt….That’s a movie staring Will Smith.

The rules that are being used to form the basis of South Korea law are the same used by THE FUTURE in iROBOT (not the vacuum, although I’ve never trusted those little devils):

• A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
• A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
• A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law

The problem with us talking about intelligent robots who can make their own decisions and then assigning laws to them is that all types of creation are subject to their rescpective creators. Humans can’t keep the above rules, can you imagine how screwed up something we made would be?