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THE UNSTOPPABLE RISE of robots in our everyday lives requires urgent EU rules such as “kill switches”, European Parliament members have warned.
It came as members passed a resolution urging Brussels into action on automaton ethics.
Mady Delvaux, a Socialist MEP from Luxembourg, led the campaign and warned that Europe is passively standing by as robots take an increasingly powerful role that will grow even stronger with the emergence of driverless cars.
To encourage EU action, Delvaux tabled a resolution at the European Parliament that also includes the need for an EU agency specialised in dealing with artificial intelligence.
Once passed, Delvaux’s resolution could force the European Commission to begin work on laws that deal with these issues head-on.
“A growing number of areas of our daily lives are increasingly affected by robotics,” Delvaux said after a committee vote on her measure.
In order… to ensure that robots are and will remain in the service of humans, we urgently need to create a robust European legal framework.
Delvaux’s resolution was easily passed by the European Parliament’s legal affairs committee yesterday and now faces a plenary vote, probably in February.
Her report is a broad overview on how robots are creeping into the lives of humans and what the EU can do to stay in control.
Its recommendations are wide-ranging, including the kill switch allowing humans to shut down a robot at the smallest sign of danger.
‘Apocalyptic scenario’
Without such rules, “humanity could face the apocalyptic scenario where robots turn on their human masters,” Delvaux warned in an interview with EU affairs website EurActiv.
Delavaux also warned that robots cannot be your friend, no matter how emotionally involving they may become.
“We always have to remind people that robots are not human and will never be. Although they might appear to show empathy, they cannot feel it,” she added.
The report also recommends that a specific legal status be created for robots and that the most sophisticated autonomous robots could have the status of “electronic persons”.
The report states that this would give them:
Specific rights and obligations, including that of making good any damage they may cause, and applying electronic personality to cases where robots make smart autonomous decisions.
recommends an EU agency for robotics to oversee all European regulation involving robots, like the bloc already has for food safety or aviation.
Most urgently, the report demands that the EU draw up a legal framework for driverless cars.
Auto builders want to see robotic cars on the roads by 2020, but difficult questions remain on who would be legally liable in the case of a car crash.
“If all decisions of a machine are no longer directly attributable to the actions of a person, it must be clarified who is liable if something goes wrong,” said Greens MEP Julia Reda, who backed the report.
To fill this void, the MEPs called for an obligatory insurance scheme and a fund to ensure victims are fully compensated in cases of accidents.
The report also called for the EU to find ways to help the millions of workers who will inevitably lose their jobs as industries become increasingly automated.
© – AFP 2017 with reporting by Rónán Duffy
“We always have to remind people that robots are not human and will never be. ” Really? Really? when exactly?
All the time. “Robots are not human and will never be”. I have to repeat that line to myself in the mirror every morning just so I don’t forget.
Yes, yes or when set my dryer or use cruise control
Johnny 5 is alive! don’t kill him he is armless. As for the terminator only the evil ones.. I like pops!!!
11011101000110011001100101101101001001
Sh!t, I mean “Do not listen to john Appleseed. Go back about your daily human chores like normal people”
SJW types who argue that there is sexism shown toward digital assistants like Siri and Cortana and that the development of sex robots objectifies women.
And what will we all do when the robots are doing everything including building robots.
Excellent observation!!!!!!!
@john Appleseed: You’re all Robophobes!! Far right, Nazi Robophobes!!!
Wonder what’s going to happen to the billions of people that are unemployed over the next twenty years and how the establishment is going to get rid of them. Genuine question because it is inevitable that it will happen.
The cull on humans has already begun..
How about the boillions of people start retraining instead of waiting around
Will the robots be aware of the switch and if so how would they be prevented from removing them from each other.
@Alan Ball: If they’re connected to the Internet it’d be hard for them not to be.
@Carl Nolan: not if they are based in the part of cavan i live in…wtf is the internet?
The only thing my sex robot blew was a fuse?
Robots would be great in the Dail instead of dummies()
@Dan Henry: Any type of technocracy would be good.
@Platypus Parcel:
You just wanted to use the word technocracy, you cunning ornithorhynchus paradoxus, you.
That’s all fine and dandy until they figure out how to disable the kill switches
So the EU parliament wants to confer “rights” to robots , which apparently they feel we should now call “electronic persons”‘..Furthermore the Chairwoman of the cttee drafting this nonsense wants to discuss “basic incomes” for robots as a precursor to taxing them no doubt. This same body the EU parliament confers no absolute right to life to the unborn child, and yet they are paid a basic tax free salary of €96,000 per annum with extremely generous travel and living allowances …They come out with this Mickey Mouse futuristic proposal and want us all to thank them for their prescience. Then they wonder why people are getting sick to the teeth of the EU ??
#repeal
Wait..so you dont agree with a choice of the majority of European citizens so the system is against you and corrupt? Right. …
I fear natural stupidity more.
Politicians should be fitted with kill switches never mind robots.
These are not the droids you’re looking for …
When a real form of artificial intelligence kicks in with them – then its time to be very afraid!
The EU is definitely getting stranger and more farsical by the minute. Maybe the UK knew something that we don’t when they held their recent referendum…..
Didn’t know Iran was in the EU….
When did China join the EU? They’re the ones making robot carers for the elderly. Sounds a good idea to me, if they do the heavy lifting and follow Asimov’s laws.
“farsical”
Within my most of our lifetimes, we will see machines become the dominant life form on earth. Resistance really is futile
@Superfiends: __ The iPhones will wipe out the machines if the machines attack their user-base.
@Superfiends: I, for one, welcome our robot overlords
I suppose we’ll have to create a few more idiotic gender pronouns
If these robots are between 14 and 18 years old will Zaponne bring them to Ireland as minors
Great. When will they be reporting on their strategy to prevent overpopulation on Mars?
If they have a kill switch, can they be revived, resurrected etc. Will they then write their own bible, have a messiah, become fundamentalist, acquire arms, and terrorise all infidel non-robots
Hasta la vista baby
Isaac Asimov had it sorted years ago. Read “I, Robot”.
Hal you’ve been a naughty robot press your Kill switch there like a good fellow.
I’m sorry. I’m afraid I can’t do that.
What’s the problem?
I think you know what the problem is just as well as I do.
What are you talking about, HAL?
This mission is too important for me to allow you to jeopardize it.
I don’t know what you’re talking about, HAL.
I know that you were planning to disconnect me, and I’m afraid that’s something I cannot allow to happen.
Where the hell did you get that idea, HAL?
Although you took very thorough precautions against my hearing you, I could see your lips move.
Ok Ok mr. Meanie I’ll skip the biscuit and stick to the new year’s diet you ordered!!!
Your tax money hard at work…………
Wait how long was that nap I took, we have robot robots ?
Bite my shiney metal ass
Pull the plug on that one, kill switches,mo hone
Are you Sarah Connor?
But I want my wobot to be my lickle fwend. I weely weely do!!
Hmmmm I believe this is how the matrix started
if anyone ever says the EU is useful, point to this article.
Artificial intelligence does not exist and never will. Robots currently possess stored human intelligence – not a new artificial intelligence. When they become smarter than us through additional learning beyond our means it will be real intelligence.
We are not as yet talking about a new form of real intelligence that didn’t previously exist but the quantity and quality of human intelligence that can be stored in and acted upon by digital circuits. The first big problem will arise when that level such that it could store a whole human mindset. This enables immortality through total h2r transference . Can we hit the kill button on a h2r trans? Also, what level of human to cyborg transfer through the addition of artificial limbs and organs would require a mandatory addition of a kill switch?
@Nydon:@Nydon: you use Artificial Intelligence every time you do a Google search, use Google translate or receive targeted advertising on social media.
Yes if you believe that new intelligence has been created by humans but I contend that no new intelligence has yet been created – google etc currently consist of existing human intelligence embedded in coding and speeded up / amplified by machinery. Maybe you are looking at this at a more simplistic level than I am.
@Nydon:
I’d say it is more likely you have an understanding of what AI is based on watching too many movies.
Maybe so – or maybe you have an understanding based solely on text books which thereby limits the range of your ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills?
Must register my PS4 FFS!
Can’t wait to see the first exorcism of a robot…
The power of WD40 compels you?
If they go too far Bruce Willis will set off an EMP. God bless you Bruce Willis.
Perhaps we should keep a repository of viruses (offline) that can be used to infect and destroy robots? After all, we may need to have an ace in the hole in case they get too wise.
Personally, speaking as a robot, I’m more concerned with ring rust. Someone needs to develop an oil for this condition. It’s why many robots today are often very slow at sitting down and contrary to popular mythology, it’s not just limited to the gay robot community.
Sincerely, 0110111
PS – I am also offended by the ‘prove your not a robot’ botchecks.. just saying
We better freeze Arnie now so he can save us
Should read Brent Spiner, not use to all this spell check shite, again AI,
Ask Brent Sooner, he has been there and done that, what a ridiculous subject to take seriously at this early stage of our so called evolution, Aw feck me arse
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