Difference between revisions of "Robot slaves"
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| − | John Kolber, author of the book [http://www.acelebrationsociety.com/ "A Celebration Society"] writes on Quora , " | + | Artificial agents are capable of learning, although not in the traditional human sense. According to Frances Grodzinsky, when an agent is trained, or learns enough from its algorithm, it begins to make judgements based off the give input, which influences the output. This intentionality intimates that these machines do in fact think. <ref>Grodzinsky, Frances S., et al. “The Ethics of Designing Artificial Agents.” Ethics and Information Technology, vol. 10, no. 2-3, 2008, pp. 115–121., doi:10.1007/s10676-008-9163-9.</ref> |
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| + | John Kolber, author of the book [http://www.acelebrationsociety.com/ "A Celebration Society"] writes on Quora, "we need robots to do all of the unpleasant things people now use other people to do."<ref>https://www.quora.com/Would-you-buy-a-robot-slave</ref>. [https://www.quora.com/Would-you-buy-a-robot-slave In his post,] he compares the human experience of a person watching someone else in pain to how AI would experience pain. If I watch a friend accidentally chop their finger while they cooking, I may wince, but I will not feel the pain that my friend is currently experiencing. Kolber argues that "self-aware" robots would "experience pain" in this same nature. | ||
The term "AI slavery" is one laden with negative implications, especially considering the word "[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery slavery]." However, it can be of value to not think of "AI slavery" in the traditional sense of slavery. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeroen_van_den_Hoven Jeoren Van den Hoven] encourages us to think of the impact of these mechanical and digital entities by considering our treatment of them, and how they can empower us and our everyday experiences<ref>Floridi, Luciano. “4, The Use of Normative Theories in Computer Ethics.” The Cambridge Handbook of Information and Computer Ethics, by Jeroen Van den Hoven, Cambridge University Press, 2012, pp. 61–61.</ref> After all, the whole point of robots is for them to perform and complete tasks involving labor, so perhaps considering the morality of robot slaves is entirely irrelevant. | The term "AI slavery" is one laden with negative implications, especially considering the word "[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery slavery]." However, it can be of value to not think of "AI slavery" in the traditional sense of slavery. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeroen_van_den_Hoven Jeoren Van den Hoven] encourages us to think of the impact of these mechanical and digital entities by considering our treatment of them, and how they can empower us and our everyday experiences<ref>Floridi, Luciano. “4, The Use of Normative Theories in Computer Ethics.” The Cambridge Handbook of Information and Computer Ethics, by Jeroen Van den Hoven, Cambridge University Press, 2012, pp. 61–61.</ref> After all, the whole point of robots is for them to perform and complete tasks involving labor, so perhaps considering the morality of robot slaves is entirely irrelevant. | ||
Revision as of 20:30, 29 March 2019
Robot Slaves, or AI slavery, is the broad idea of labor and servitude performed by robots. Robots are machines created with the intent to perform a task, different robots can perform various functions, depending on their purpose, and they are mandated either through an externally controlled device, or via embedded programming. The term "robot" comes from the Czech word "robota" which means "forced labor."[1]. Robot slavery is concerned with autonomous or semi-autonomous robots, that complete tasks with self-governed decisions.
Contents
Present Day Labor
Automated Machinery
Examples of labor by robots include automated tasks such as sliding doors[2], ticketing machines in parking garages, or automated production lines. These machines rely on a set of particular inputs in order to decide its output, or next action. Jobs taken on by robots, like ticketing machines in parking garages, or automated production lines, have replaced human workers. Some interpret such labor as "AI slavery" since the jobs are menial.
Smart Home Devices and Digital Voice Assistants
Other present day interpretations of AI slave labor includes smart homes and their working components (i.e, digital voice assistants), which automate household functions such as temperature, lighting, audio, etc., because of the automation of chores. Some might even consider the work of digital voice assistants like Alexa or Siri AI servitude because of the subordinate nature of the devices. Annalee Newitz writes on Gizmodo that "these digital assistants are more like slaves than modern women. They are not supposed to threaten you, or become your equal — they are supposed to carry out orders without putting up a fight. The ideal slave, after all, would be like a mother to you." [3]. This also extends to the notion that some robots, which are created to have a feminine resemblance, contribute to the objectification of women. This is discussed further in the section below.
Sex Robots
Sex Robots are another form of robot slavery, and perhaps the most sensationalized. They are both a sex doll, and an artificial intelligence. Currently, the most popular and advanced is Roxxxy, which is priced at approximately $10,000. According to Roxxxy's developers, True Companion, she can "doll’s personality can be altered ‘so she likes what you like, and dislikes what you dislike'"[4]. Roxxxy's appearance can also be customized to the owners preference upon purchase. Roxxxy now also has a male counterpart, Rocky.
Sex robots are not just robots for the sake of sex[5], they are there to provide companionship, however, that companionship can be manipulated. The variety of roles a sex robot can take on embodies the "neutrality thesis" which Philip Brey iterates in his chapter of The Cambridge Handbook of Information and Computer Ethics. According to his explanation of the neutrality thesis, technological artifacts, so robot slaves in this instance, can be used in a variety of ways, and it's this variety of uses that comes with consequences, rather than the technological artifact, or robot slave, coming with inherit consequences itself.[6]
Such machinery poses a variety of concerns; although some may consider the use of sex robots safer than prostitution, there is debate whether or not it is ethical to be having such intimate relations with such a human-like artificial intelligence. Given that most sex robots are "female," it also contributes to the objectification of women[7], and idea of a woman being a slave to a man's needs.
Robot Slaves in the Media
Some notable examples Robot Slavery in the media include movies like I, Robot and Blade Runner and the shows Westworld and "Humans." Ethical discussions often take place around these productions given that they are the closest examples we have of certain forms of robotic slavery.
These films share the common theme of using robots as slaves to perform either manual labor, or to "work" menial jobs. Ultimately, the robots gain enough consciousness to realize that they are working as slaves, and decide to revolt against humans.
Movies like I, Robot and Blade Runner spark ethical conversation about robotic slave labor. If an artificial intelligence gains consciousness, is the nature of their labor suddenly wrong? Is their labor wrong with or without consciousness? Consequently, the idea of consciousness might then have to be debated.
Westworld
The premise of Westworld is a futuristic "amusement park" where the rich vacation to in order to experience "The Old West." Guests at the park interact "hosts," humanoids who are programmed to fulfill every guest's desires[8]. Hosts are initially programmed so that they are unable to hurt and risk the safety of guests. Guests, however, are able to treat hosts however they like without any sort of repercussions. Eventually, the hosts begin to gain sentience, and recognize their enslavement to man.
Humans (British TV Series)
Humans grapples with many different ethical implications of robots. In Humans, the robots are called Synths, and are intended to serve humans in whatever way they need. This includes cleaning the house, cooking, driving, babysitting children, assisting and monitoring the health of the elderly, and intimacy. Laura (Katherine Parkinson) and Joe (Tom Goodman-Hill) Hawkins have two children and bought a Synth which they named Anita (Gemma Chan) to make their lives easier. However, when Laura is away, husband Joe explores the intimacy options programmed inside of Anita, outlined in the Adult Options section of her handbook. Soon after, Joe has sex with Anita.
Another Synth, Niska (Emily Berrington), lives her life as a Synth prostitute. She lives in a building where Synths each have rooms in which anyone can come in and pay to have sex with them. The Synths are instructed by the customers what the customers want out of the experience, and are expected to do exactly as told, basically acting as robot slaves.
Ethical Implications
Artificial agents are capable of learning, although not in the traditional human sense. According to Frances Grodzinsky, when an agent is trained, or learns enough from its algorithm, it begins to make judgements based off the give input, which influences the output. This intentionality intimates that these machines do in fact think. [9]
John Kolber, author of the book "A Celebration Society" writes on Quora, "we need robots to do all of the unpleasant things people now use other people to do."[10]. In his post, he compares the human experience of a person watching someone else in pain to how AI would experience pain. If I watch a friend accidentally chop their finger while they cooking, I may wince, but I will not feel the pain that my friend is currently experiencing. Kolber argues that "self-aware" robots would "experience pain" in this same nature.
The term "AI slavery" is one laden with negative implications, especially considering the word "slavery." However, it can be of value to not think of "AI slavery" in the traditional sense of slavery. Jeoren Van den Hoven encourages us to think of the impact of these mechanical and digital entities by considering our treatment of them, and how they can empower us and our everyday experiences[11] After all, the whole point of robots is for them to perform and complete tasks involving labor, so perhaps considering the morality of robot slaves is entirely irrelevant.
References
- ↑ https://www.google.com/search?q=robot+definition&oq=robot+defin&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j69i57j0l4.1321j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
- ↑ https://sites.psu.edu/siowfa16/2016/09/05/artificial-intelligence-modern-slavery
- ↑ https://gizmodo.com/why-is-my-digital-assistant-so-creepy-1682216423
- ↑ https://metro.co.uk/2017/09/13/looking-for-robot-love-here-are-5-sexbots-you-can-buy-right-now-6891378/
- ↑ https://www.businessinsider.com/sex-robot-industry-regulations-2019-2
- ↑ Floridi, Luciano. “3, Values in Technology and Disclosive Computer Ethics.” The Cambridge Handbook of Information and Computer Ethics, by Philip Brey, Cambridge University Press, 2012.
- ↑ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/female-robots-why-this-scarlett-johansson-bot-is-more-dangerous/
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westworld_(TV_series)
- ↑ Grodzinsky, Frances S., et al. “The Ethics of Designing Artificial Agents.” Ethics and Information Technology, vol. 10, no. 2-3, 2008, pp. 115–121., doi:10.1007/s10676-008-9163-9.
- ↑ https://www.quora.com/Would-you-buy-a-robot-slave
- ↑ Floridi, Luciano. “4, The Use of Normative Theories in Computer Ethics.” The Cambridge Handbook of Information and Computer Ethics, by Jeroen Van den Hoven, Cambridge University Press, 2012, pp. 61–61.
