Some thoughts on the Trolley Problem. What an AI should do when it realizes there is about to be a crash/injury. I thought it would be good if there were some standard rules. This is my attempt.
Ethical Rules for AI Driver - Trolley Problem
1) An international committee decides on the 'rules' and these rules are encoded into an "Ethical Chip"
2) Every AI car has to use this chip only. That way people know that all cars operate under the same rules. (eg: Thus we don't have to fear the BMW AI more than the Volvo AI)
3) The 'rules' consider all identified cars, objects, and pedestrians
4) If there are "death to occupant" paths, the AI will not take them (otherwise who would get in the car knowing it might choose to kill them)
5) For all the rest of the paths, the AI will pick the best one that avoids injury to everyone, despite the mechanical damage
6) Should there be only paths leading to injury, the AI will pick the one that has the lowest overall injury cost (no weighting for age, race, gender or other characteristics)
7) Should there be equal injury paths, the AI will pick a random path
That way everyone witnessing the accident knows that there is a good likelihood the car will not crash into them if there is a safe path. Also they know that if there is no safe path there is a random likelihood the car will crash into them. Just like now. Fair chance for everyone.
Ethical Rules for AI Driver - Trolley Problem
1) An international committee decides on the 'rules' and these rules are encoded into an "Ethical Chip"
2) Every AI car has to use this chip only. That way people know that all cars operate under the same rules. (eg: Thus we don't have to fear the BMW AI more than the Volvo AI)
3) The 'rules' consider all identified cars, objects, and pedestrians
4) If there are "death to occupant" paths, the AI will not take them (otherwise who would get in the car knowing it might choose to kill them)
5) For all the rest of the paths, the AI will pick the best one that avoids injury to everyone, despite the mechanical damage
6) Should there be only paths leading to injury, the AI will pick the one that has the lowest overall injury cost (no weighting for age, race, gender or other characteristics)
7) Should there be equal injury paths, the AI will pick a random path
That way everyone witnessing the accident knows that there is a good likelihood the car will not crash into them if there is a safe path. Also they know that if there is no safe path there is a random likelihood the car will crash into them. Just like now. Fair chance for everyone.