Another Story to Watch

I already have a robot that vacuums my house. There's another available that mops. Like Bill said, they don't really look like robots, so we don't call them robots.

It's interesting to me that when most people whine that they wish they had a robot, and fantasise about what they would do with one, it sounds very much like what they really want is a slave - something with the capabilities of a human being, but no rights or privileges, which can be directed at the whim of its owner.

"it sounds very much like what they really want is a slave"

yes.

why would an automaton need rights?

once the robots are smart enough to evoke serious emotional & intellectual responses, their owners will be demanding rights for them. This will be long before the robots are smart enough to demand rights for themselves.

Something similar when comparing roaches to dogs. The former are automatons and don't need rights. The latter don't demand rights but humans do it for them.

Note that Bill Gates is completely outside the loop on robotics. Microsoft is trying to get into the value chain of robotics, and that will hopefully fail. They have less than nothing to offer.

This is a story to watch, but it won't be microsoft's.

My dogs often demand their rights...

...to my food...
...to sleep in bed with me...
...to eat the birds outside the window...
...to lick whomever comes through the door...

If your dogs never demand their rights, or at least what they think is their rights, you must be Cesar Milan!