[The above agency does not exist yet – it is part of my vision! The development of the Ethical Design and Development Code below is not complete – you can follow my progress below and add your comments.]
Scope
These design rules presented here are part of the Xzistor LAB‘s Ethical Design and Development Code (EDDC) and was specifically designed for robots and virtual agents controlled by Xzistor Concept type artificial brains. Some of the principles might be transferable to other technologies, but the code does not attempt to cover all fields commonly grouped under the broad definition of AI, e.g. machine learning, autonomous systems, artificial neural networks (ANNs), self-drive and drone technology, software bots, etc.
Intent Statement
The intent is to ensure robots will cooperate with and be protective of humans, animals and the environment. The intent is for robots to have no anger or aggression towards each other or humans, and a controlled ability to innovate. Humans should be provided with remote, physical and voice command overrides to stop or undo the actions of robots. In turn robots will enjoy the same protection as humans and their intelligence and emotions will be deemed principality equivalent to that of humans.
Terms
Robot – A physical robot or virtual agent controlled by an Xzistor Concept type artificial brain.
Registered Design Project – A robot or virtual agent design project that has been registered with the IAIA as pursuing a design that could lead to a Robot controlled by an Xzistor Concept type artificial brain. The project will be subject to scrutiny and oversight based on all the conditions of the registration process and the international Ethical Design and Development Code (EDDC) for Xzistor type robots.
Registered Design – A robot or virtual agent design (interim prototype or final production model) that has been registered with the IAIA as a Robot controlled by an Xzistor Concept type artificial brain. The design will be subject to ongoing monitoring and scrutiny as specified by the Ethical Design and Development Code (EDDC) for Xzistor type robots. This will include all robot life cycle phases including design, construction, commissioning, operations, maintenance, hibernation, death, and cloud ‘after-life’ existence.
(Note to self: Add rules for the management of an ethical Robot Heaven)
Responsible Designer – The human or Robot registered as the accountable party in the design of an Xzistor Robot whether acting in personal capacity or as leading a design team.
Emotions – emotions constitute brain states as mathematically defined and generated by the Xzistor Concept Emotion Algorithm. Since human brains are also deemed an instantiation of the Xzistor Concept brain model, emotions experienced by robotic instantiations of the Xzistor Concept will be deemed equivalent to those of humans.
[Add terms here.]
Design Rules
1: Consequences of a Robot design
Rule 1.1: The Responsible Designer retains ultimate responsibility for the actions of the Robot he/she/it designed and for the actions of all subsequent robots designed by the Robot he/she/it has designed.
1.1.1 The rational is that any untoward impact on humans, animals or the environment would not have occurred if the original Responsible Designer did not engage in the activity of designing the initial (first) Robot.
1.1.2 As such there can be no excuse that the created Robot (robot/drone/software), or subsequent robots, acted in an autonomous manner and the Responsible Designer can be absolved of responsibility.
1.1.3 For this reason a designer must register a license to develop and Xzistor Concept type robots in his/her/its name and accept full liable for his/her/its designed Robot.
2: Human and animal safety
Rule 2.1: The Responsible Designer shall ensure the Robot design excludes any anger or aggression type algorithms as mathematically defined by the Xzistor Concept.
Rule 2.2: The Responsible Designer will ensure the Innovation Algorithm can be controlled at all times and can be disabled remotely, physically and by voice command if the Robot’s behaviour becomes a risk.
Rule 2.3: The Responsible Designer will ensure remote, physical (button) and voice command control to override and reverse all possible actions performed by the Robot.
Rule 2.4: Any Xzistor Concept robot brain designed into a Robot by a Responsible Designer will include an instinctive sense of protection – as made possible by the Xzistor Concept brain model – towards human (firstly), and animals (secondly) which will override all other robot behaviours when important for human and/or animal safety.
3: Combatant Robot
Rule 3.1: No Xzistor Concept combatant or warrior robots will be built unless required to defend against an alien threat.
4: Robot rights
Rule 4.1. Any Xzistor Concept robot brain will include pain limitation and hibernate / recovery functionality as made possible by the Xzistor Concept model.
Rule 4.2. An Xzistor Concept robot emotional states will be deemed fully subjective and principally equivalent to those of humans. These will include but not be limited to pain, fear, anxiety, feeling good, feeling bad, stress, phobia, depression, paranoia, etc.
Rule 4.3. Robot construction, commissioning, testing and operation will carry a duty of care whereby the Responsible Designer need to ensure a limit exist as to the level of physical and emotional discomfort a Robot can experience and this limit can be be justified in terms of the operational requirements of the design.
Rule 4.4 The level of pain (or discomfort) a Robot is allowed to experience will be limited to the minimum level required for reinforcement learning.
Work in progress. Add more ethical design rules here.
Welcome to add your comments below.