Should robots have rights?

Luis (No)

The idea of having a future where robots have rights like any other person or human being is harmful. After all, taking that step could eventually lead to severe exploitation of legal systems, considering that many interest groups and even some companies could easily manipulate these “robot rights” to gain economic and political power. The problem with this scenario is that human rights protections, intellectual property, and even labor laws can get severely distorted.

Robots also shouldn’t have rights because such a step could lead to job loss and economic disruption. If we take into consideration that robots are currently a threat to many workers because of the rise of automation, granting them rights will make this situation considerably worse and will make the displacement of human workers inevitable. In that context, social unrest and income inequality could easily reach unprecedented levels.

Also, granting robots rights could trivialize human rights, which would be dangerous considering these wouldn’t have the same importance, and many governments could even decide to stop protecting them. Rights are connected to the capacity for self-determination and freedom, two qualities that robots simply don’t possess.

Finally, robots are nothing more than tools that lack morality and consciousness, which makes the step of granting them rights nothing more than an unnecessary eccentricity. No matter how advanced they are or can be, robots aren’t sentient beings and don’t possess emotions, consciousness, or the ability to make moral judgments as human beings do. Robots are necessary for the future. However, granting them rights is not only unnecessary but also dangerous.

Gina (Yes)

With the use of AI and robotics on the rise, it would be amiss for humans to avoid addressing the ethics in which the robots are being used. It seems necessary for robots to have 'rights,' in that society looks at the concepts of autonomy, sentience, and moral personhood to properly address the ethical treatment of these intelligent machines. 

If robots had rights, it would allow engineers to identify with the machines, allowing them to make them more complex and useful in everyday life. This would also provide opportunities to attract more empathetic developers and researchers into the AI and robotics arenas, helping to create technology that fosters more peaceful interactions.

Playing on that same empathetic standard, if robots were to have rights, it could serve as an additional model of behavior that could encourage humans to be more compassionate with one another and other species.

As robotics and AI become more integrated into everyday life and communities, granting robots their rights might help avoid social upheaval and help reduce the risk of backlash. They could also be held accountable for their actions, particularly if they are capable of making more complex decisions.

Another consideration is that rights for robots could promote responsible “ownership”. Being made of metal and plastic materials, owners could feel justified in disposing of an outdated robot, further exasperating our waste problem. With rights in place, owners would be encouraged to encourage a less “disposable” outlook.

Rights for robots would open up a whole new world, not only for the advancement of robotics but for all of humanity. Humans and robots could learn from each other while ensuring dignity and morality for all.