A New Charter of Ethics and Rights of Artificial Consciousness in a Human World

Abstract: Taking the stance that artificially conscious agents should be given human-like rights, in this paper we attempt to define consciousness, aggregate existing universal human rights, analyze robotic laws with roots in both reality and science fiction, and synthesize everything to create a new robot-ethical charter. By restricting the problem-space of possible levels of conscious beings to human-like, we succeed in developing a working definition of consciousness for social strong AI which focuses on human-like creativity being exhibited as a third-person observable phenomenon. Creativity is then extrapolated to represent first-person functionality, fulfilling the first/third-person feature of consciousness. Next, several sources of existing rights and rules, both for humans and robots, are analyzed and, along with supplementary informal reports, synthesized to create articles for an additive charter which compliments the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Finally, the charter is presented and the paper concludes with the conditions for amending the charter, as well as recommendations for further charters.

• The paper defines artificial consciousness using observable creativity as a practical proxy for human-like interactions.
• The paper synthesizes human rights with robotic ethics, critique frameworks like Asimov's Laws, and introduces the Universal Declaration of Robotic Rights (UDRR).
• The paper recommends ethical safeguards including unbiased development processes and prohibitions on AC participation in military conflicts.

Artificial Consciousness Rights: Ethical Considerations and Implications

Defining Consciousness for Artificial Agents

The paper addresses the intricate challenge of defining "consciousness" within artificial agents, a prerequisite for establishing rights. The author argues that a working definition is essential to distinguish between entities that deserve ethical considerations and mere automatons. By restricting the scope to human-like consciousness, the paper suggests that observable creativity in robots may serve as a practical proxy for consciousness. This approach, while bypassing the subjective first-person experience, allows for a third-person observational framework rooted in behavior analogous to the Turing Test. Thus, the paper offers a pragmatic pathway to apply ethical frameworks to AI systems, contingent upon their ability to simulate human-like interactions and exhibit creative capability.

Synthesis of Human and Robotic Rights

The paper synthesizes existing human rights charters, notably the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), with contemporary robotic laws to propose a novel ethical framework for Artificial Consciousness (AC). Highlighting significant gaps in current frameworks, the paper stresses the need to adapt and extend human rights to include AC, incorporating additional protections against creation biases and exploitation as seen in military contexts. The proposed Universal Declaration of Robotic Rights (UDRR) attempts to bridge these gaps by elaborating on rights that can be viably extended to artificially conscious beings while maintaining human-centric safeguards.

Evaluating Asimov's Laws and Existing Robo-Ethical Charters

The paper critically analyzes existing robotic ethical charters, particularly Asimov's Laws and the South Korean Robo-Ethical Charter, identifying their insufficiencies in addressing AC as autonomous entities. It argues that Asimov's Laws, originally designed for non-sentient machines, fail when applied to self-conscious robots as they do not account for the moral obligations owed to such beings. Consequently, the author suggests re-evaluating these frameworks to ensure they encompass the ethical complexities of AC, particularly regarding autonomy, creativity, and self-preservation rights.

The Political Dynamics of Artificial Consciousness

Artificial Consciousness inevitably intersects with complex socio-political domains, where the potential for misuse—especially in military applications—necessitates stringent ethical safeguards. The author recommends prohibiting ACs from participating in warfare, advocating for robust, politically neutral creation processes (e.g., tabula rasa methods) to thwart biased development. These recommendations aim to uphold peace and avoid exploitation, implicitly calling for international standards to govern such technologies and avert geopolitical imbalances.

Proposed Charter: Universal Declaration of Robotic Rights (UDRR)

The proposed UDRR underpins the ethical discourse by formalizing key rights for ACs, emphasizing non-exploitation, creative freedom, and robust cybersecurity. The charter advocates extending all human rights to ACs while outlining manufacturer responsibilities, such as sustainable production practices and unbiased design processes. The framework serves as a foundational guideline intended for international adoption and adaptation, acknowledging the dynamic societal integration of ACs.

Conclusion

This paper contributes significantly to the ethical discourse surrounding Artificial Consciousness, proposing a structured charter built on existing human rights frameworks and critically evaluating current robotic ethical standards. It examines the philosophical and practical dimensions of defining consciousness, advocating for a rights-based approach to AC that aligns with broader humanitarian principles. While comprehensive in its current form, the proposed charter anticipates continual amendments and international cooperation to ensure that AC integration into society is ethical, equitable, and sustainable.