Robot Law

A few months ago, in January 2018, the European Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee approved a report that outlines a possible legal framework to regulate the interactions between a) humans, and b) robots and Artificial Intelligence systems. The report is quite revolutionary. It proposes, e.g., giving certain types of robots and AI systems personhood, as "electronic persons": These electronic persons would have rights and obligations, and the report suggests that they should obey Isaac Asimov's Laws of Robotics. The report also advises that the manufacturers of robots and AI systems should build in a'kill switch' to be able to deactivate them. Another recommendation is that a European Agency for Robotics and AI be established that would be capable of responding to new opportunities and challenges arising from technological advancements in robotics. The EU is not alone in its desire to regulate AI: similar (though less far reaching) reports were published in Japan and in the UK.