02.

202 Ethics and Social Responsibility

The Botcalypse
by Urmila Baskaran (1000572) 07 April 2015
IN THE American romantic comedy Her (Spike

structures in societies like Japan, which are facing

Jonze), Theodore falls in love with a Samantha,

a population decline. Some Gynoids are also used

computer OS personified by a female voice. The

as sexual devices. This is industry is one that is

movie

fuelled by male desires for passive women.

raised

many

questions

about

the

relationship humans share with computers, and if

one day we could ever share an intimate romantic

These robots degrade the value of humans,

relationship with a computer and whether they

especially that of women. They acknowledge the

could ever have emotions.

need for submissive ideal women. It is necessary

to question the emergence of this industry. Though

As robots evolve to be more independent and as

it is one that there is demand for, it is one that

capable as humans, the ethical issues posed by

could cause societal shifts and cultural changes.

robots is something that needs to be dealt with

beyond the sci-fi realm Robots now have the

Skeptics may also argue that even with the

capability to assist in medical surgeries, help the

existence of robots, this will never replace human

military in shooting people, replace astronauts in

relationships completely. Can you simply fall in

space exploration, baby sit kids, help us with the

love with a computer? Peter Norvig, the director

laundry and sometimes even have sex with

of research at Google and an expert in Artifical

humans.

Intelligence has some answers. Its all too easy

for us to fall in love he says. We love our dogs.

First and foremost, human relationships are

We love our cats. We love our teddy bears, and

starting to be redefined. Robots equipped with

were sure they dont care, but we do it anyways.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be constantly

Norvig definitely makes a point it is innate for

available, inquisitive, interested, supportive and

humans to falling in love, one of the most intense

undemanding. Some are even able to adapt and

emotions we go through.

evolve. As seen in the movie Her, such a robot

has the capability to develop a romantic

With an increasing use of robots in our everyday

relationship with Theodore, merely through

life, the question of who is liable arises. If a

talking to him on a daily basis and getting to know

robot is to make a mistake, it is very unclear who

him better. The emergence of such robots has also

is responsible for any resulting harm. Perhaps in

paved the way for the emergence of Gynoids.

robots that obey pre-defined rules, it would be

Gynoids are robots that resemble female human

easy to take note of the process flow so we could

form. They are able to maintain traditional family

pinpoint who needs to be held responsible for the

mistake. What if robots were smart enough to

02.202 Ethics and Social Responsibility

allocated amongst the various stakeholders in the

make decisions based on ethics that they were

supply chain. However, this would not work if the

programmed to obey. After all, our brains itself is

robot is allowed to make independent decisions

a computer one that processes information based

through artificial neural networks. Secondly, if

on inputs from the mind. Can robots be assigned

robots are allowed to make independent decisions

responsibility in that case?

through artificial neural networks, they should be

equipped with the necessary algorithm that allows

With assigned responsibility to robots, a whole

them to make judgments based on what the

new issue is introduced, as it would be necessary

societal norms are. Thirdly, it is extremely

to state laws regulations and punishments for

important that engineers, ethicists, policymakers

these robots. A robots integration into society

and lawyers collaborate while drawing up

alongside humans would also pose a tricky ethical

guidelines, laws and regulations on the use of

issue. The current society still treats robots to be

robots in our daily lives. Each of them have a

submissive to humans. If robots had emotions,

different

would they want to be submissive to humans?

consequences of using robots.

With all these advancements, the most important

Technology has seen an unprecedented rate of

thing would be that our regulations and code of

advancement, but with these we are introduced to

ethics need to evolve alongside. This would

a whole new realm of ethical concerns. The

ensure that the revolution to come would be kept

sooner these concerns are addressed, the easier it

under control. A good starting point would be the

would be for mankind to enjoy the benefits the

three guidelines of ethics for robots by Issac

robots will bring about, without worrying about

Asimov, a scientific fiction writing from 1942.

the issues and drawbacks.

Firstly, it is necessary that responsibility is

perspective

to

offer

about

the