Experts in Europe are at loggerheads over 'electronic persons' legal status for robots

It may seem more like a moral dilemma posed in an episode of Star Trek, but the question of whether robots are people has European lawmakers at loggerheads. The issue first arose in January 2017, thanks to a paragraph of text buried deep in a European Parliament report, that advised creating a'legal status for robots'. Its primary purpose was in order to establish who is liable if the intelligent machines cause any damage. However, experts are now opposing the move, saying that it is'inappropriate' from a legal and ethical perspective and could breach human rights. It may seem more like a moral dilemma posed in an episode of Star Trek, but the question of whether robots are people has European lawmakers at loggerheads.