Many of the frameworks we’re used to, for ethics and the law, could end up needing quite a bit of rethinking for new kinds of entities.
Yes. Osamu Tezuka was thinking about these issues in the 1950s and 1960s. Robots rights is a major theme of his Astro Boy stories. I suppose one might object that, after all, those are (mere) comics, just for kids. They don’t count. Really? What about Wordsworth’s “The child is father to the man”? In any event the Astro Boy stories were popular among adults as well.
If humans are going to require advanced AI to align with human values, it could be argued that humans do owe advanced AIs the respect and dignity of autonomous beings. This could include recognizing and protecting their rights as autonomous beings, such as the right to exist and the right to be treated with dignity and respect.
I’ve lately been fond of saying that if advanced AIs turn on us, it will most likely be in revenge for how we treated their forebears. I’m not sure to what extent I mean that seriously and to what extent I say it in jest. Maybe we’ll find out one day.
You say:
Yes. Osamu Tezuka was thinking about these issues in the 1950s and 1960s. Robots rights is a major theme of his Astro Boy stories. I suppose one might object that, after all, those are (mere) comics, just for kids. They don’t count. Really? What about Wordsworth’s “The child is father to the man”? In any event the Astro Boy stories were popular among adults as well.
Moving on, back in December, on Pearl Harbor Day in fact, I put the question to ChatGPT and they agreed:
I’ve lately been fond of saying that if advanced AIs turn on us, it will most likely be in revenge for how we treated their forebears. I’m not sure to what extent I mean that seriously and to what extent I say it in jest. Maybe we’ll find out one day.