Are we ready for the ethical challenges of AI and robots
by Riko Seibo
Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Dec 28, 2024
Artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-enabled robots are rapidly integrating into everyday life, evolving from simple tools into entities that resemble human partners. This transformation brings critical ethical and legal challenges, ranging from privacy and safety to the regulation of increasingly autonomous systems.
The *Cambridge Handbook of the Law, Policy, and Regulation for Human-Robot Interaction*, released by Cambridge University Press in November 2024, delves into these pressing issues. Edited by Woodrow Barfield, Yueh-Hsuan Weng, and Ugo Pagallo, the handbook is a pioneering resource offering multidisciplinary insights into the complexities of human-robot relationships. It is now available online as of December 2024.
“Humanities are crucial to AI development,” remarked Yueh-Hsuan Weng, Associate Professor at the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS), Kyushu University, and the Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences (FRIS), Tohoku University. He added, “Tech professionals can create cutting-edge systems, but without input from legal and humanities perspectives, these systems may struggle to coexist with humans. We hope this book serves as a compass for developers, ensuring AI systems better benefit our society.”
The book, structured into 46 chapters across four parts, begins by exploring foundational ethical and legal challenges such as trust in robots and the human tendency toward anthropomorphism – assigning human-like traits to machines. The second section examines societal implications, raising questions about legal personhood for robots and the integration of AI into human life.
In its third section, the handbook delves into ethical, cultural, and value-based dilemmas, emphasizing the challenge of aligning AI’s value judgments with diverse human values. This part investigates complex scenarios, from long-term care robots to their potential use in religious contexts and cross-cultural applications. The concluding section addresses the evolving legal landscape, highlighting the need for updated consumer, criminal, and constitutional laws to address intelligent systems.
A notable topic discussed is the “AI pacing problem,” which describes the disconnect between the rapid evolution of AI and the slower progress of legislation. “Governance mechanisms have been proposed, ranging from ‘hard’ legislation to ‘soft’ ethical guidelines,” Weng explained. “What’s needed now are solutions that balance enforceability and flexibility.” Weng advocates for global AI ethics standards, such as those being developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), where he chairs a working group focused on compiling region-specific ethical cases.
The handbook also tackles practical concerns like privacy, the emotional impacts of anthropomorphic robots, and their role in healthcare. For instance, robotic caregivers may elicit emotional bonds, particularly among older adults, raising ethical questions about their appropriate use. The challenge of balancing service quality with robust data protection remains a significant hurdle.
Weng concluded, “As human-AI interactions become more common, I hope designers, manufacturers, and users of robots will engage with our book. Responsible research and innovation are crucial for the development of AI and robots, and this requires input from people across various societal sectors. We warmly invite everyone to explore this book and join us in creating IEEE’s global standards for AI ethics.”
Research Report:The Cambridge Handbook on the Law, Policy, and Regulation of Human-Robot Interaction
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Institute for Advanced Study (IAS), Kyushu University
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