1. Roboethics
By Kevin and James

2. What is the problem ? What is Ethics an Issue in Robotics?
Fear of Rebellion against humanity since first introduction in Fiction
But actual ethical questions do also arise
Examples Include:
Robots Harming People (Killbots, Self Driving Cars, Etc)
Robots causing Loss of Worker Revenue (Robots replacing Workers)
Why? (These questions should probably be asked in the lecture, rather than stated on the slides)

3. History 1942 Isaac Asimov wrote “Runaround” Three laws of robotics
A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws
The first appearance of ethics in robotics <-can be told, doesn’t have to be in slides itself.

4. History 2004 : First International Symposium on Roboethics
3 diverse mindsets appear after heavy debate
There exist no ethical problems in the field of robotics
Focus should be on short term ethical issues
Focus should be on long term ethical dilemmas
Concern was raised about ethics in robotics
Roboethics -- Gianmarco Veruggio

5. Robots: Ethical Issues? What’s That?
Robots simply a form of technological advancement
Partially a technologically deterministic view on Robotics
Tech will always improve, and will always get better
No sense in attaching ethics, as humans have no responsibility on technological improvements
Equally an Instrumentalist view on Robotics
Tech is simply a means to an end
Nothing but a tool, and will eventually become the best tool for the job
Takes a technological determinist view on Robotics
Tech. Det. is a philosophy that believes that tech will advance on its own, irrelevant to the progress on society.
As such tech improvements are always a linear movement forward, and therefore always improving to a better
Tech has a life of its own
Original slide:
Robots are means of technological advancement
Strictly technical
No social responsibility
No moral responsibility
No ethical responsibility
Robots are tools to be used by humanity
Natural advancement in our technology

6. Focusing on the Short Term
Ethics should be focused on near future
Only Immediate positive and negative impacts of robotics
For Example:
Using a Robot to help the elderly would be good
Using a Robot to kill others would be bad
Flaws with this perspective
Based on current social/moral views
Based on personal values
Not Consistent
Concerned only with short term effects of robotics
Saw only the ‘good’ and the ‘bad’
Example : robot helps old person cross street == good !
Example : robot used to kill someone == bad !
Flawed
Based of social and moral views of the time
Varies from person to person
CAN CHANGE !!!

7. Long Term Vision: Ethical Issues
Focus on ethical questions from long term use of robotics
Lost Jobs
Technological Divides
Social Standing
Reduced human interactions
Dependence on Robots
Robots can help in society, but they can also be a detriment to society
Original Below
Concerned with the long term effect on robotics on society
Jobs
Social standing
Technological divide
Position in society
Etc…
Thoughts ?

8. Examples of Ethical Questions: 1
Meet Carl, a long-haul trucker
Together with many coworkers, laid off due to introduction of self-driving transport trucks
Workers who remained receive pay cuts due to lower demand
Photo by Michel Rathwell; The photo can be found at
Whose fault is it ?
Engineer
Investors
Employer
His own
Why did it happen ?
Who should take responsibility?
truckers/

9. Ethical Questions: Carl the Truck Driver
Whose fault is it that Carl was laid off?
Why did he lose his job?
Is it right that this happens?

10. Examples of Ethical Questions: 2
Your business partner had developed an improvement on fully automated drones
Now capable of delivering everything from Packages to Pizza
Massively Increases Productivity
Government interested in tech
First, to deliver supplies into hard to reach areas
Later, as a weapons platform
Should we do it ?
Is it wrong ?
How are these drones affecting our society ?
Who should take responsibility?

11. Ethical Questions: Fully Automated Drones
Who should take the responsibility for these future drones, consumers, manufacturers, or society as a whole?
Should drones ever be weaponized?
How will the increased use of drones affect society as a whole?

12. Ethical Questions: Current Reality
Companies are already gravitating towards automating many jobs
Cars
Delivery
Assembly
By 2030, an estimated 800 million jobs will be replaced by robots
No need for rest/breaks
No training required
Much lower long term costs
Robots are already being weaponized by militaries around the world
But not all side effects of robotic use are negative
Applications of robots in medical fields is being researched to improve techniques
New technologies could create new job opportunities
Cars (uber, tesla)
Delivery (amazon ,dominoes)
Assembly (every car manufacturing company)
Robots are already being weaponized by militaries around the world - See drones for an example
Not all bad news
This has happened before with computers
New technology tend to created new job opportunities
Just like with computers
Just have to adapt and find new means of employment

13. One last issue !
Are robots just tools for humanity to use or are they our partners to coexist with moving forward?
2017 a robot named Sophia was granted saudi arabian citizenship
Sophia was even given a title by the UN
first ever Innovation Champion
the first non-human to be given any United Nations title.
But that raises a question !