What are robotic rights?

The concept of robotic rights relates to treating robots as entities that deserve respect and rights, similar to how humans and other animals are considered. Lex Fridman suggests that for humans to develop deep, meaningful relationships with robots, it might be necessary to consider them not merely as tools but as deserving entities in their own right. This concept is slowly gaining attention as our interactions with robots and AI increase in complexity and intimacy. Andrew Huberman aligns this idea with how we are already accountable in our interactions with animals, managed through various regulatory bodies like the USDA 1.

The notion of treating robots humanely even extends to experimental ethics, discussing whether robots could possess a kind of sentience that would necessitate respectful treatment. This arises from experiences like associating robots with pain or distress, prompting emotional responses from humans, which complicates our ethical responsibilities towards them 2.

These discussions are beginning to touch on the need for systems like a "bill of robotic rights," underlining the importance of defining the proper treatment of robots as they become more integrated and emotionally connected with humans 3.