Robots vs. Humans: How thin is the line?

Robot: A mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control.

Humans: Have a highly developed brain and are capable of abstract reasoning, language, introspection and problem solving.

For many centuries, the human race has fathomed over the possibility of a mechanical helper. Through the rapid growth of technology, this has now been made possible. Scientists and engineers have invented robots that are able to perform to the highest level and precision,yet do not hold the higher intellectual ability to reason and retaliate against their owners. Robots not only serve to aid humans, but are now able to travel to places that humans cannot reach. As more and more people of all walks of life take interest in robotics, the more rapid new innovations for robots start to appear. From teachers to surgeons, robots are now starting to take over human jobs, and are even believed to perform at a higher level than us.

It is a widely known fact that robots can do much good for us, whether it is working in a factory screwing bottle caps, or helping a paralyzed patient become mobile again. With the introduction of robots, employers no longer have to go through the trouble of finding a suitable candidate for a simple job. Furthermore, since robots aren't actually people, they do not require food, water, air, or other survival needs, and therefore do not require a pay check - Another plus for employers. Simple enough, right?

Wrong. In 2000, Honda pushed forward a humanoid robot - ASIMO. A dream come true, some might say at that time. At 130cm tall and 54kg, ASIMO was designed to operate in real-world environment, with the ability to walk or run on two feet at speeds up to 3.7 mph. It was the company's initial goal to create a walking robot which could not only adapt and interact in human situations, but also to improve the quality of life. Today, ASIMO has made public appearances around the world, become an innovations attraction at Disneyland in the USA, and has helped to encourage young people to study Science and Mathematics. No doubt, ASIMO has pushed the robot world into a new age, taking them one step closer to contending with us humans.

With robotics rapidly becoming one of the leading fields of science and technology, humans are starting to explore the possibility of human and robots coexisting on this very earth. When this event does happen, it will be one with many ethical, social and economical problems. Their brings me to my next point: Ethics of artificial intelligence.

This branch of ethics is typically broken up into roboetics (concern with the moral behaviour of humans as they design, construct, use and treat robots) and machine ethics (concern with the moral behaviour of robots)

Roboethics was first coined by a roboticist GIanmarco Veruggio in 2002. It considers both how artificially intelligent beings may be used to harm humans and how they may be used to benefit humans. It is predicted that concepts like autonomy,learning, free will, decision making, freedom and many other issues might come into play while dealing with this new situation, and the design of roboetics will require the commitment of experts of many different disciplines.

Machine ethics, however, contrasts with roboethics quite a bit. In this case, this branch of ethics is concerned with the moral behaviour of Artificial Moral Agents. In 2009, academics and technical experts came together to discuss the potential impact of robots, and the possibility that they might become self-sufficient and have the ability to make their own decisions. Issues like robot's autonomy and their threats towards humans were brought up, noting that some machines had already had semi-autonomic functions, especially in the military.

Although this branch of ethics and this idea of living in tandem with robots are a new idea to the human race, we must recognize that this new addition to our world is rapidly growing.

On a similar note, here is the link to pictures from the latest International Robot Exhibition held in, (of course) Tokyo Japan, where humanoid robots wowed the crowds. Take a look, and make your judgement on this issue :)

If you'e survived this long blog post, throw in a comment or two down below in the little comment area. I'd love to hear about it :)

Rex