3 Laws Unsafe is a web project by the Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence, a not-for-profit organization devoted to the research and implementation of human-friendly AI. Much of the historical discussion surrounding the possibility of AI asks whether we can build AIs that behave ethically toward fellow sentients. This discussion has received more attention since the release of movies such as "The Matrix" and, most recently, "I, Robot" starring Will Smith.
"I, Robot" is a movie based on a book of the same name by famous science fiction writer Isaac Asimov. In his books, Asimov portrayed societies who built robots that followed the "3 Laws of Robotics":
First Law: A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
Second Law: A robot must obey orders given it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
Third Law: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
3 Laws Unsafe is based on the premise that human-equivalent AIs and robots will one day become possible, and that Asimov's 3 Laws of Robotics are too simplistic to ensure a positive outcome. Although such laws may be superficially attractive, they fail to account for the intricate web of common sense and moral sensibilities characteristic of benevolent humans. In order to build a robot or AI that really cares about us, we will need to develop better strategies. 3 Laws Unsafe points out some flaws in the Asimov Laws model, and discusses potential improvements. We hope you find the site valuable!