Introduction
Machines with strong artificial intelligence are programmed to think, perceive information, and respond to it. Thus, robots become like people, which is why many countries outlaw and ban them. In addition, society is inclined to be wary of integrating robots into daily life due to such practices at the state level. However, there are several important arguments for why robots should not be outlawed. The developed robot is characterized by its consciousness and intelligence, which helps it think independently and make decisions even when a person is not around. It can also show emotional reactions to situations, has set moral standards, and generally act like a human. Therefore, robots of this type should not be outlawed due to their human-like nature.
Consciousness and Intelligence Are Not Restricted to the Brain
The obvious argument against robots would seem to be that they do not have a brain, which means they cannot think and make conscious decisions. The brain enables people to learn from experience, analyze situations and change their behavior depending on external circumstances. It allows effective social interaction and the construction of conversations between people (Boch et al.). Thus, at first glance, the brain is inextricably linked with the concepts of consciousness and intelligence.
However, strong AI is a properly programmed computer artificially injected with the necessary information and desired behaviors. Human consciousness is associated with “processes such as memory, attention, language, problem-solving, and planning” (Pessoa 158). In humans, these processes are formed naturally in the course of development. However, robots can be programmed to have conscious and intelligent behavior identical to a human’s. For example, the Turing test was created to determine how robots can behave and think like humans. Generally, the test will be passed if a person interacts with AI and determines that he is interacting with another person (Pessoa). Thus, creating a human-like robot is a very realistic task.
Human consciousness is inextricably linked with emotions that cause different situations. Moreover, the emotional component makes up a large part of social interactions. Pessoa states that there are many ways in which machines can be cognitively-emotionally programmed (163). People learn to recognize and express emotions during their development, experiencing various situations. In the case of robots, the development of emotional intelligence occurs through information processing and programming of response patterns. Setting aside the “mood” factor, “emotion is often linked to evaluative aspects of the organism-environment relationship” (Pessoa 164). Therefore, artificial intelligence, which can analyze and evaluate the situation based on programmed data, is human-like.
The Robot Has a “Mind” Due to Its Psychological Phenomena
Despite the absence of a brain in machines from a biological point of view, a certain form of intelligence is still present in robots. They can form their own opinions about situations. Moreover, this opinion will differ in objectivity because their “mind” is able to take into account many factors and circumstances (Boch et al.). Moreover, it is worth noting that the reactions of artificial intelligence, although they are quite universal and programmed, may differ in similar situations. That is, robots can not only give a reaction corresponding to the parameters entered but also act autonomously and think critically, which makes them look like people.
In addition, strong AI, depending on its characteristics and properties, may have a certain morality. That means that when programming artificial intelligence, one can set up a basic understanding of what is good and bad and what behavior is considered socially acceptable. The presence of a moral status determines the opportunity that determines for it certain rights (Mamak 1058). Therefore, if a machine can become an efficiently functioning part of society on par with humans, it should not be outlawed.
One of the main fears associated with the proliferation of robots is that they could completely replace humans. However, an important counterargument to this is that machines ‘like’ humans but are not identical. For example, “care or educational robots may replace traditional tutors or caregivers” (Boch et al. 5). However, this does not necessarily mean job cuts for people. Even though the developed robots have consciousness and emotions and can formulate an objective point of view, they require social interaction and the involvement of people in order to update data and build new reactions constantly. Moreover, the social isolation and outlawing of the developed robot can lead to the fact that the programmed data will no longer correspond to reality over time. As a result, even an AI with consciousness and ‘mind’ may cease to conform to social norms and show negative results during the Turing test.
Conclusion
Thus, the developed robot is like a person, possessing consciousness and intelligence. These factors allow him to interact effectively with people, similar to human social patterns, which can be demonstrated through the Turing test. In addition, the robot has a ‘mind’ and can critically assess the situation and make the most optimal decisions. At the same time, it is free from subjectivism, which can have a significant advantage in solving important social and political issues. Therefore, robots should not be outlawed but, on the contrary, should be effectively integrated into society.
Works Cited
Boch, Auxane et al. A Robotic New Hope: Opportunities, Challenges, and Ethical Considerations of Social Robots. Munich Center for Technology in Society, Web.
Mamak, Kamil. “Should Violence Against Robots be Banned?” International Journal of Social Robotics, vol. 14, 2022, pp. 1057–1066. Web.
Pessoa, Luiz. “Intelligent architectures for robotics: The merging of cognition and emotion.” Physics of Live Reviews, 31, 2019, pp. 157-170. Web.