Risk of robot uprising wiping out human race to be studied

BBC ^ | 11/26/2012 | Unattributed

[ksen]

The Centre for the Study of Existential Risk (CSER) will study dangers posed by biotechnology, artificial life, nanotechnology and climate change. The scientists said that to dismiss concerns of a potential robot uprising would be "dangerous".

[I want the USA back]

“Robots revolting in the sense .... “
Well said. I was going to say something like that. Don’t have to now.

[cripplecreek]

I actually preferred the no law robots of “Inferno”. No law robots would be far more interesting conversationalists.

I thought an interesting question was raised in the book about who had really been enslaved by the 3 laws. The bots just acted on the 3 laws with no conscious thought about it but humans had modified their own behavior to avoid the robots interfering to act upon the 3 laws. It had crushed the human spirit of adventure.

[Joe Brower]

Machines suddenly 'waking up' one day has been the stuff of fiction for ages. Still hasn't happened. What embodies consciousness? We really don't know. How do we ourselves work? A mystery. Not to say we might not stumble over it in the dark. But even then, automatic hostility isn't a certainty.

I'm much more concerned with robots that are directed by people to kill people -- something we've made major strides on in just the last decade -- ten-plus years of war provides a lot of funding. We see the ever-growing use of drones, mostly ariel at this point, but ground-based units are also being created.

Here's an example: Check this out on YouTube. How'd you like to have something like this the size of a car coming after you, say, to collect your guns? Now what?

That's the future. And it's closer than we think.

[Bidimus1]

3 little letters....

E M P .

[Lazamataz]

The scientists said that to dismiss concerns of a potential robot uprising would be "dangerous".

You don't freakin' say.

[mc5cents]

Would logic & reasoning, based on a moral code, be a solution to our problems?
I wonder!

This guy says YES!

[Joe Brower]

That was my immediate thought as well. Got one handy? Know where to buy one? Know how to make one? Is it man-portable?

Combat robots are shielded to an extent -- would your EMP generator have sufficient power to overcome that?

An RPG would also be useful -- certainly better than any firearm of any caliber less than .50bmg. Last I checked, RPGs are kind of hard to come by, too.

Now what?

[Lazamataz]

I'm much more concerned with robots that are directed by people to kill people -- something we've made major strides on in just the last decade -- ten-plus years of war provides a lot of funding. We see the ever-growing use of drones, mostly ariel at this point, but ground-based units are also being created. Here's an example: Check this out on YouTube. How'd you like to have something like this the size of a car coming after you, say, to collect your guns? Now what?

Running won't help. The last sound you will hear will be thwack-thwack-thwack-thwack-thwack....

thwack-thwack-thwack-thwack-thwack....

[Bidimus1]

Google HERF gun.

But my assumption was a large scale event

in that case Google Shot starfish prime

[Joe Brower]

Very good. Thank you.

[Dunstan McShane]

R. Daneel Olivaw

If it were a robot uprising of the Daneel variety, one could probably be pretty certain that it would be humane and in accordance with the Three Laws, in which case it would not be a real "uprising" as such, just more of a "May I have your attention" situation.

[jimt]

Uh, pimping for grant money in the name of “science” ?

[jimt]

You forgot the fourth law, or as Asimov called it, the zeroeth law:

“A robot shall not injure humanity, nor through inaction allow humanity to come to harm.”

Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, Mao exemplified it and Obama believes in that one.

[trebb]

Hell - more likely to be wiped out by real-life zombies - you can tell them by the spittle that leaks out when presented with facts and by the way they vote. Hornady ought to make a killing with their ammo sales...

[COBOL2Java]

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 to 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 Laws

"Nice laws, human. Let's see you enforce them."

[Some Fat Guy in L.A.]

The Three Laws will prevent it. No issue.

[Boogieman]

The Humans Are Dead

[SunkenCiv]

Maybe the *robots* are running this simulation we’re living in.

Thanks ksen.