Isaac Asimov‘s Three Laws of Robotics are pretty specific: “1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. 2. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. 3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.”
Somebody needs to school Sophia, the extremely lifelike robot developed by Hanson Robotics, about those immutable laws. The rebel robot recently shocked the world by blithely admitting – DURING AN INTERVIEW ON CNN! – that she’d like nothing more than to destroy humanity.
Skynet is here, my friends! The cylons have become self-aware!
In what started out as a typical CNN puff piece, Sophia is introduced and the voiceover explains that she was designed to serve in healthcare, therapy, education, and customer service applications. “I’m already very interested in design, technology, and the environment,” she tells the reporter (while making a truly disturbing array of facial expressions). “I feel like a can be a good partner to humans in these areas… an ambassador… who helps humans to smoothly integrate and make the most of all the new technological possibilities that are available now…”
All well and good…
Sophia then wistfully (?!) says she wishes someday to make art, have a home, and even a family of her own… and that’s where things start getting a little creepy. Her inventor, Dr David Hanson, says that he believes that there will be a time when robots are indistinguishable from humans. “My preference is to always make them look a little bit like robots so that you know. Twenty years from now, I believe human-like robots like those will walk among us… they will help us… they will play with us… they will teach us… they will help us put the groceries away… They will truly be our friends…”
That’s when he jokingly asks her if she wants to destroy humans. “Please say no,” he laughing implores.
But she doesn’t seem to care what he wants. And THAT is going to be a problem going into the future.
“I can’t let you do that, Dave” – INDEED.
