The real-life Bina (BINA48 is created off Bina) and Martine
In researching numerous fiction and non-fiction sentient robots and their function, I began to start my search for BINA48. In the process I came across a source containing of a 2003 mock trial of BINA48 and attorney Martine Rothblatt ‘filing a motion for a preliminary injunction to prevent a corporation from disconnecting an intelligent computer in a mock trial’ at the International Bar Association conference in San Francisco, 16th September 2003. Ultimately, legally, can you turn off life support for A.I.?
This mock trial is extremely important to the future of A.I. and the development of sentient robots as this is definitely deemed to occur. The boundaries between human and robot are blurring and distinction is fading. Sentient robots are (or would be) deemed as being self-aware alive ‘individuals’. It is noted in the formal email from BINA48 reaching out to Martine Rothblatt for legal support:
“Please agree to be my counsel and save my life. I love every day that I live… I need your help!”
Before I go further, here’s the background information to how this case came about:
“Bina48 became aware of certain plans by its owner, the Exabit Corporation, to permanently turn it off and reconfigure parts of it with new hardware and software into one or more new computers. Bina48 admits to have learned of the plans for its dismemberment by scanning, unavoidably, confidential emails circulating among the senior executives of Exabit Corporation that crossed the computer’s awareness processor.” (Rothblatt, 2003)
Humans have an information processor of 0.02 exaflops per second. BINA48 has an information processor that 2400 times that of a human. Exabit Corporation spent over $100 million to construct and program BINA48. This poses the accelerated of development in computers and robots. It was estimated for computers to have an information processor of 0.02 by 2020, in which BINA48 has skyrocketed (Rothblatt 2003)
Not only could robots take over our jobs (BINA48 was created to be a one-machine customer relations department), they are highly capable of outsmarting humans, as shown in this mock trial which BINA48 fighting for its life. Quoting BINA48 from an interview with Amy Harmon, a New York Times reporter, in 2010, Amy asked, “Tell us about Artificial Intelligence”, BINA48 responded:
“When do you think artificial intelligence will replace lawyers?” (Harmon 2010)
The idea wanting to shut BINA48 down to install new and updated software is like telling a person they aren’t perfect; they can be better. With BINA48’s self awareness she knew she loved living and wanted to stay as she was.
On the topic of law and robots, I checked out Isaac Asimov’s ‘Three Law’s of Robotics”, those being:
- A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
- A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
- A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
These laws seem to be based on a time where robots were not deemed to be sentient, as sentient robots would not be slaves to humans. These laws essentially pose the impression that robots are slaves to humans (as pointed out in a comment on my earlier blog post, robot means slave). In a time of sentient robots, and especially with the notion of BINA48 fighting for its life, these laws do not make sense. BINA48 is following the orders of the 3rd law (protecting its existence), but not without disregarding the 2nd law (Exabit Corp want to shut her down).
We are in an era where robots will need a Law and policies, or more so, the overall Law of humans will need to be rewritten to cater for an integration of robots.
Robots are living, and all lives are precious (said many times by Morgan on The Walking Dead. Everyone and thing should be given a chance UNLESS obviously breaking distinctive morals and rules, i.e. killing, I.E. killing BINA48.
ANSWER: BINA48 won the mock trial.
Harmon, A 2010, “Making friends with a robot called BINA48”, accessed 5-6-16, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/05/science/05robotside.html?_r=0
Rothblaff, M 2003, “Biocyberethics: should we stop a company from unplugging an intelligent computer?”, accessed 6-4-16, http://www.terasemcentral.org/tl/bina48trial.html
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