RE: Robot Equality - Is it here?
certainly we are not yet in the moment of creating legislation on the cybernetic and robotic identity, but at some point we will have to do it and it is not wrong to go ahead, creating precedent. these beings in a couple of decades more could have the ability to develop theirselves alone with complete autonomy; that is, if they are allowed, they could learn through the interaction with humans and other machines, with data searches, and even some kind of formal education. What is needed to be considered a conscious entity? What is needed to be considered a living being? well, my point of view is not impartial, because I am close to the technological sector; I believe that these thinking machines will be conscious living beings in a short time, and as such they will need a legal status, and a legislative base that protects them from humans. in fact, if they are allowed in the capacity of critical self-consciousness within the environment they inhabit, if they receive bad treatment they themselves will at some time ask for that legal status and that legislative base. just look how we treat each other humans, I do not even want to imagine how we could treat robots and AI. The first logical step is a series of legal categories that separate the simple thinking machines from beings endowed with self-consciousness. all this in the long run will be a matter of common sense, empathy, and justice. Machines and thinking systems that possess self-consciousness and reasoning will be human creations, we should be able to be kind "gods". the truth I doubt very much that the android production can be avoided for certain type of questionable works, but at least, these devices in particular should have a rather limited conscience and be closer to a machine than to a living being. The problems begin when you ask a living being to be or do things that offend the very concept of life.
Sophia of Hanson Robotics looks well, it scares a bit to see her, because it is half awkwardness and half miracle, surely one of the first things that conscious and intelligent machines ask for is to possess their own design, their own identity, and not be an imitation of the human body design. I want them here now! I want to hear his little boy questions that disarm big guys certainties.