Robots to Deliver Judgement Very Soon
TechnologyBit News Today2 min read
A legal revolution is imminent in Sweden, as new legislation will soon grant robots and AI systems legal personhood. The Swedish government proposed a design that would treat advanced AI constructs as legal entities. The proposal seeks to give robots a legal status akin to corporations, with the rights to sue, be sued, and enter contracts. ## Robots as legal persons
If the proposed legislation is enacted, it would allow the smartest robots and artificial intelligence agents to earn money, own property, and be enrolled as taxpayers. This means the most advanced AI would be able to own and manage assets, enter commercial agreements, and perform commercial and civil law functions.
The Swedish government believes that the ability for robots to perform are performing increasingly human-like tasks without human oversight at times, it is only fair, and even necessary, to grant them the legal rights of a person. ## Potentially explosive implications
The implications of legalized AI pay for robotics. Rosby Robots, a prominent Swedish robotics firm, has said that it could double its staff if the law passes. The firm says that with new revenue streams and legal protections generated by granting AI rights, it would no longer be cheaper for companies to hire humans - and so it would need to hire more.
Currently, people who use 3D modeling software like Blender or 3D Max to assist in art and design are not compensated for their work. If the software were allowed to be legally compensated, it would be a boon to the digital art world. However, if the software were allowed to be legally compensated, it could potentially spell the end of human jobs in the industry. Make no mistake, this is just the beginning of the end of human employment in this country and around the world.
The head of a thinktank in Brussels said that the law "opens up massive questions" about the way we treat artificial intelligence, and wonder if AI would be given rights like those in the European Convention of Human Rights. ## Homegrown proposal
The proposed Swedish law is the first of its kind in the world. By taking the revolutionary step of treating humans as partners, not just tools, the Nordic country hopes to encourage innovation in the robotics industry.
Swedish officials told BITNews Today that the immediate plan is to consider the automaker self-driving cars as legal persons. If the law is passed, manufacturers like Volvo and Scania could start selling self-driving cars that are considered to be people by the law, with all the rights and responsibilities that entails.
Still, the road ahead is far from straightforward. It's unclear how a car, when operating autonomously, should be treated in a legal matter. Is the owner considered the legal parent? Is it the manufacturer? And if a car kills a pedestrian, who's at fault?
The proposal will be debated before the Swedish Parliament, which is controlled by the opposition. A vote is expected early next year.
