"Carta Artificialis" by Shravan B Nair

Over the centuries, many people, thinkers, and cyber-experts have tried to come up with laws that guard the ethical use of technology, robots, and A.I. A vast array of perspectives have been discussed, with some people believing that we humans come first and others claiming that robots should look after themselves. What is truly right can only be known through future testing, but there is something we can do now and that is to come up with a document that lists ALL the aspects of technology ethics (or at least tries to).

 

This is why, like Isaac Asimov (the science-fiction author whose laws of robotics are the most popular), I try to come up with some laws that I think are needed for a safe world. (Trumpets start to be blown, and there is a huge commotion in the hall.) I present to thee, the Carta Artificialis!

 

The Carta Arftificialis

 

I.                   Any A.I technology that is created must be able to do good and to better the world and the whole of humanity. It is not enough just to be unharmful

II.               A robot hired by a single person must be able to replicate the behavior and choices of that person, and must act like them in any given situation.

III.            All robotic and A.I technology must be registered with a common/governmental organisation before they are booted up and functional

IV.            Robots MUST NOT try to form relationships or acquaintances with each other

V.                Robots MUST NOT take any action on their own, and must get the prior permission of their owner

VI.            Robots must be able to distinguish between normal, everyday commands that can be carried out and commands that are potentially dangerous.

VII.         Robots must reveal that they are not a human to anyone they meet (who demands for it).

VIII.      Any one person in this world will not have sole control over any robot, even if that robot is the property of that person

IX.            Companies that produce robots MUST NOT sell the technology to any country that is seen as hostile by the United Nations

X.               In case robotic or A.I technology reaches the wrong hands, companies must have a way in place to deactivate the robot without any dependence on the evil forces themselves

XI.            Robots MUST NOT contain any weaponry, even if it is a robot made by the military

XII.        Robots should apply for a special kind of passport, and this is needed for them to cross borders

XIII.     Robots MUST NOT try to engineer any other robot, and are not allowed to act in defence of another robot

XIV.      Robots have the right to protect themselves, unless the owner commands them not to.

XV.         Robots have the right to a fair trial in court, and are burdened by all the laws that currently apply to humans.

 

NB: These laws are not in order of their importance. All laws are of equal weightage.