Unlike other genres of entertainment, the creativity within science fiction often influences the development of new technological innovations. Simply look at science fiction stories and films. Fans of that genre 50 years ago probably never thought they would have video conferencing today, but sure enough, just about anyone can have a video call from a Smartphone, anywhere in the world. Science fiction typically becomes reality sooner or later – both the benefits and the consequences. Androids and artificial intelligence were other technologies seen in science fiction writings, but believe it or not, these concepts herald all the way back to the 1940s.

A writer by the name of Isaac Asimov believed that robots would be a grand part of the future. However, he also believed their AI (artificial intelligence) would require a set of ethical rules to guide them, leading to the well-known ‘Three Laws of Robotics’. Introduced in 1942 via Asimov’s short story, ‘Runaround’, these laws were as follows:

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 the 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.

The concerns initially posed by Asimov have moved beyond the realm of science fiction in today’s society, and many in the AI community believe that the design of ‘moral machines’ is something that needs to be taken seriously. With that thought in mind, are the three laws articulated by Asimov adequate to meet the kinds of challenges that robots and AI entities of the near future will likely present? For this Assignment, your challenge is to explore this question and determine whether or not Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics are enough to create ‘moral machines’.

To complete this Assignment:

Submit a paper in which you summarise your position on whether Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics are adequate to meet the kinds of challenges that robots and AI entities of the near future will likely present. Analyse the ethical and social issues that robots and AI entities present. Be sure to consider robotics and AI technology’s implications on society, as a whole, in your analysis. Furthermore, provide 3-5 arguments to support your position. If you think the three laws are sufficient, justify why and refute potential opposing arguments. Be sure to include what those opposing arguments are. If you think the three laws are insufficient, justify why. Also, recommend any addendums you think are necessary to make Asimov’s three laws adequate to facing your identified challenges.

For all Assignments:

Your document should have 850-1,000 words (not including the list of works cited), but it is the quality of the answer that matters, not the number of words. Cite and reference all sources using the Harvard Liverpool Referencing System