The lies told by robot may be tolerable, but only when they serve to protect people, especially in delicate situations. An example is that of a robot-nurse that reassures a patient with Alzheimertelling her that her husband will be home soon, even if he is not. This scenario was rated as morally acceptable by most of the study participants led by the George Mason Universitypublished on Frontiers.
Lies to protect or deceive?
The study explored several scenarios in which these machines lie. In addition to the nurse robot, other examples included a housekeeping robot that hides the fact that it is filming what is happening, or a shop assistant robot that feigns tiredness in order to be replaced by a human. While the first lie was widely accepted, the other two were harshly condemned. About 500 participants rated the seriousness of the lies in each scenario and their moral justification. While the nurse robot’s lie was seen as necessary to avoid emotional painthat of the robot that secretly records has been considered very misleading.
Who is responsible for the lies?
The research also raised the question of responsibility. According to the participants, it is not these machines themselves that should be held responsible, but rather the developers hey owners of machines. This is because, according to researcher Andres Rosero, behind these lies there may be a manipulative potential dangerous. “We need rules that protect us from deceptive behavior and technologies that use artificial intelligence,” Rosero said.
With the evolution of technologies andartificial intelligenceit is becoming increasingly important to establish ethical rules and guidelines that ensure transparency and protect users. The lies told by these machines could indeed be a sign of greater autonomy, but without a regulatory framework, they risk becoming tools of manipulation.
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