It’s easy to say artificial intelligence is more science than fiction. Experts even speculate that AI and robotics will replace humans in about one third of professions. That’s why when Amazon announced that it would not turn over Alexa recordings of a murder victim to authorities they raised a very important question: Should AI receive individual rights of existence?

Per Amazon, Alexa’s “recordings and responses are subject to free speech protections under the US constitution’s bill of rights.” Their claim is that because a person’s rights are protected under the First Amendment, their ground for how they receive information is also protected.

But they aren’t the first to suggest that artificially intelligent machines receive certain rights. There are many arguments going on today for and against the government’s responsibility of supplying these rights, whether it be constitutional or merely the acceptance that AI deserves basic “human” rights.

Should AI rights be available and follow regulations?

While AI isn’t an uncommon concept nowadays, a lot is to be said for the various forms of AI. From robots, to chatbots, to operating systems, artificial intelligence takes on various forms that exemplify the long way that technology has come in last few years. Because AI is continuously evolving, knowing where their rights come in is becoming more relevant.

But if they are bots then they aren’t human, so why give them rights? This question is quite common and the answer – for those in favor of rights for AI – is simple. Just as humans are responsible for their actions, an AI system that can make initiatives and decisions on its own is just as responsible. Take, for instance, a robot that was created by a Swiss art group and used to make purchases, like Ecstasy pills, on the dark web. Should the robot have been the responsible party? The authorities thought so since the robot was confiscated.

So if a robot can be held responsible for a crime, how come it can’t be given similar rights to their human counterparts? Well, that answer is a little more complicated. Because AI can take on so many forms and really doesn’t have a very clear, distinctive definition it is hard to adequately define what can be regulated and given rights.

Many people argue that regulating artificially intelligent robots would be quite difficult – and they may be right. Because AI robots have multiple forms and are able think, act, and appear like humans, the law itself has a reputation for being continually behind the curb when it comes to technological advances. So this idea may sound like an easy fix, but for the law to regulate AI, that clear definition needs to be in place for the law to work for all forms of AI.

A Lack of Clear Definition

So if regulating AI systems is problematic due to lacking a clear definition then a law granting human rights will be difficult to implement as well; it may exclude many artificially intelligent systems. Wouldn’t it be easy to say that a self-aware AI system needs to be regulated? It would, especially for those experts who fear the day robots will multiply and take over the human population.

But just what type of rights would artificially intelligent robots be awarded? Basic human rights include the right to life, liberty, and freedom of thought. So how could these same rights affect the way AI is seen and respected in society? Would an artificially intelligent system be allowed the freedom to reproduce? Would they be allowed the right to vote? How would AI influence or affect hacking and cybersecurity? Would discrimination against humanoid AI systems become a crime? Would artificial intelligence be judged and punished the same way a human would for the same crime?

AI raises so many questions when it comes to rights and regulations. And too, self awareness is highly important here as well. What do you think? Should AI systems be given rights and, if so, what kind of rights?