Slashdot Mirror
Robots Could Some Day Demand Legal Rights
Karrde712 writes "According to a study by the British government, as reported by the BBC, robots may some day improve to a level of intelligence where they might be able to demand rights, even 'robo-healthcare'." From the article: "The research was commissioned by the UK Office of Science and Innovation's Horizon Scanning Centre. The 246 summary papers, called the Sigma and Delta scans, were complied by futures researchers, Outsights-Ipsos Mori partnership and the US-based Institute for the Future (IFTF) ... The paper which addresses Robo-rights, titled Utopian dream or rise of the machines? examines the developments in artificial intelligence and how this may impact on law and politics." I'd better get started on my RoboAmerican studies degree.
You know what really got me about the movie "I, Robot"? Apart from all the product placement.
Part of the premise of the film is that there is a robot that appears to have murdered someone. People repeatedly ask "whoever heard of a robot committing a crime?"
WTF dude? You mean in the decade or so since androids became commonplace, no-one has ever programmed a robot to commit crimes for them? Right now, today, people are programming computers to commit virtual crimes for them - spam, keylogging, etc.
"I, Robot" style androids would be great hit-men. Especially as you could use an exploit to take control of someone else's robot and make it do the hit. Use other compromised systems as the launchpad for your attack and the police won't be able to trace the crime back to you.
I'd love to see the future Columbo sort that one out, provided of course that he hasn't been given a robot sidekick or a "vintage 2003" raincoat.