Robot ethics

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Robot ethics is the application of ethics to robotics . It covers the development, manufacture and use of robots .

With the increase in robots in the context of human life and the realization that robots are no longer just pure tools, but agents , companions and avatars , the question arose of how to assess the ethical challenges facing humans. In 2004 the first international symposium on robot ethics was held in Sanremo (Italy) and Gianmarco Veruggio ( University of Genoa ) coined the term "Roboethics" at this point . The topic had already been dealt with extensively in science fiction , for example within the framework of the robot laws developed by Isaac Asimov .

Roboethics Roadmap

In the European Robotics Research Network (EURON) Roboethics Roadmap from 2006, the ethical dimension is presented as follows: Depending on how the capabilities of the robots are viewed, different evaluations of robots in the ethical dimension result:

  • Robots are nothing but machines: in this case, roboethics is comparable to the ethics of any other mechanical science
  • Robots have an ethical dimension: Here it is assumed that robots have an intrinsic ethical dimension, since, as symbolic products of humans, they can expand and improve humans' ability to act ethically.
  • Robots are moral agents: Artificial agents can now act as moral patients (i.e. objects of moral action) or moral agents. In the opinion of most roboethicists, this does not require that they have free will in order to act ethically. Here the focus is on the action and not the decision to act.
  • Robots are a new species: According to this view, robots will not only have consciousness, but also transcend human dimensions in morality and intelligence.

EURON forecast

According to the EURON forecast, robots will be developed and used in the following areas in the near future:

  • Production of humanoid robots: In other words, the production of a robot or android with human-like intelligence and emotional capacity. In accordance with the so-called Fukuoka World Robot Declaration of 2004, EURON also issues three programmatic points:
  1. Next generation robots will coexist as partners with humans.
  2. Next generation robots will support humans both physically and mentally.
  3. Next generation robots will contribute to the realization of a safe and peaceful society.
  • Modern production facilities in factories but also in small businesses
  • Adaptable service robots and smart homes; On the one hand, these are humanoid service robots, and on the other, living spaces that are completely computerized, sensor-controlled and networked. An illustrative example is the self-ordering refrigerator, which, as soon as supplies run out, automatically supplies a dealer via a network.
  • Network robotics: this mainly concerns further developments of artificial intelligence on the Internet, as it is already beginning to be observed in search engines.
  • Outside world robots: Great progress has been made here, especially in space travel; but further developments are also foreseeable in the near future in mining, warehousing and agriculture.
  • Health care and quality of life: In the last few years, robotization of medicine and surgery has taken place relatively unnoticed. Computer-aided diagnostic procedures, therapy robots and surgical robots have been approved in Europe since 2000.
  • Military robots: Integrated defense systems, autonomous vehicles and aircraft, and intelligent ammunition.
  • Edutainment: In addition to teaching, toys and the entertainment industry, the sex industry is also specifically addressed here.

In the past two years, however, there has been increasing criticism of the very optimistic view of the future role of robots in society. There is an increasing danger that people will be less and less related to life, as the artifacts can only convey the illusion of life. The effects of constant interaction with pseudo-human beings on people's psyche are seen at least as potentially problematic. Substantial criticism of the use of robots in the social and military fields, presented primarily by the computer pioneer Joseph Weizenbaum , can be found in the documentary Plug & Pray .

The ethical challenges of the next few years will therefore not be “robot rights”, but dealing with the coming reality of a robotized society.

Robotics and law

In parallel to dealing with robotics from an ethical perspective, a jurisprudential view of the specific issues relating to the use of robots is developing. The focus here is primarily on civil and criminal liability as well as the shifts in liability attribution that are necessary due to an increased degree of autonomy, for example in the area of ​​robotics and AAL . With the use of robots to perform state tasks in areas that are particularly sensitive to fundamental rights, for example in prisons, there are also special public law issues, for example in the area of ​​data protection, which go beyond the requirements for product safety and approval criteria. The use of robots will confront society with a multitude of legal problems that have not yet been resolved. This discussion is most likely to be conducted in the context of autonomously driving cars , which may also have to make a decision about life and death. So far there are only very few lawyers who deal with the subject of "robot law" and advise in this area.

Current developments

Since 2016/17, robot ethics has been discussed by various bodies, such as the IEEE, the European Parliament, the European Association for Robotics (euRobotics) and initiatives such as "Responsible Robotics". References to this can be found in the ELS topics group in euRobotics.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ cf. plus partner robots from Toyota , childcare robots from NEC
  2. ↑ EURON, Roboethics Roadmap , p. 24.
  3. ↑ EURON Roboethics Roadmap, pp. 28–38
  4. ^ Criticism by Noel Sharkey ( Memento from February 21, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
  5. ↑ Plug & Pray , documentary (2010) about robotics and artificial intelligence
  6. ↑ http://www.law.stanford.edu/calendar/details/3496/#related_media
  7. ↑ Interview with Prof. Dr. Dr. Eric Hilgendorf in NJW-aktuell, issue 21/2010, p. 12
  8. ↑ Günther, J. / Eck, D .: Assistance systems to support mobility for ambient assisted living and tortious liability, in: Brukamp / Laryionava / Schweikardt / Groß (eds.), Technisierte Medizin - Dehumanisiert Medizin ?, Kassel 2011, p. 85-92.
  9. ↑ Electronic guards: South Korea tests prison robots. In: Spiegel Online . November 27, 2011, accessed June 10, 2018 .
  10. ↑ BMVI - Ethics Commission on Automated Driving presents report. Retrieved September 5, 2018 .
  11. ↑ Thomas Thiel: Driving by Numbers. In: FAZ.net . August 2, 2015, accessed October 13, 2018 .

literature

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