Ethics Debate: Should an AI being have rights?

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We will now be doing a two, possibly three, part series on AI Technology:

1. 5-7 Discussion: What are the ethical implications of developing and releasing AI technology? What controls and safeguards should be placed on this technology? We believe it would be difficult to instill AI with a code of ethics similar to Humans because it has a completely different realm of existence than us, furthermore, if we give it say an end objective, it is unpredictable how it will go about accomplishing that. Some people believed that regulation would only result in special interest parties gaining control while the majority thought it was imperative, so that we can at least try to control the trajectory of this technology. Some believed that continuing on with our current system of regulation e.g. tort law would be enough to control the use of AI technology while others thought that this is kind of a one time event where if someone screws up with AI and creates something malevolent and powerful, it will just take over the world and at that point it won't matter. In certain areas such as driving and medicine it was believed that because AI is so much better than humans that there is a moral imperative to allow it to take over in these areas, which would lead to the view that there is also a moral imperative to develop it in these areas.
2. Second night: What are the ethical implications of AI personhood? Should an AI being have rights?

Overall, In this series we discuss great questions of philosophy. You could call what we are doing debate style or open forum, but participants are free to give their ideas and challenge others while discussing the topic of the week. Each week I will choose from one of hundreds of topics such as: are humans innately good or evil, what makes us human, did you exist before you were born, and does god (a supreme mind) exist. I think a Socratic method/critical analysis of questions where each assumption held on a particular topic is questioned to dig deeper is a good way to make progress.

The Zoom link will be posted shortly before the event. I have installed a timer in Zoom, so a timer will start automatically when you start speaking, I am setting a 3 minute time limit on each speaker. Once a speaker talks anyone can follow up with a counter point, question, or continuing thought along the same line of thought (leave such comments to 1 minute). But do not begin a new train of thought unless you raise your hand. I will set a 5 minute timer for all follow up to an original speaker.