Robotics and Judaism

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asked 8 years ago

Your Honor, peace and good week.
I wanted to ask the rabbi for some answers to some questions regarding the topic of robotics and Judaism:

My in-depth discussion at the conference was on the topic of digital humanity (or ‘digital sapiens’, as a replacement for ‘homo sapiens’) and artificial intelligence, and where it is taking us.
And the questions I wanted to ask the rabbi are:

1. Can we conclude that in the future robots will be able to replace religious figures (such as rabbis), based on the possibility (which still exists) that programmers will indeed succeed in creating artificial intelligence that will more accurately simulate people?

2. If indeed any statistical model (like a Turing machine, for example) can replace human language, understand it, and simulate it: is it really possible to distinguish man from the beast? What distinguishes us, humans with a ‘spirit of speech’ from other creatures?

3. Would such a robot be allowed to say things that constitute ‘slander’ in order to ‘speak concern from a person’s heart’?

4. Can the Rabbi point out other halachic questions that could arise as a result of the release of robots to the market?

5. What, in the Rabbi’s opinion, is the reason why humanity is seeking to create a perfect robot that will resemble a human? What is the ultimate aspiration of modern man?

Thank you very much, and have a good week.

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מיכי Staff answered 8 years ago

Hello. These are important questions and it is difficult to elaborate on them here. Therefore, I will write briefly. First, I suggest you read my post here: https://mikyab.net/%D7%9E%D7%94%D7%99-%D7%90%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%98%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%92%D7%A0%D7%A6%D7%99%D7%94-%D7%A2%D7%9C-%D7%97%D7%95%D7%A4%D7%A9-%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%A6%D7%95%D7%9F-%D7%95%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%A7%D7%95%D7%9C-%D7%93/ Regarding your questions, 1. It’s possible. I can’t know. I definitely think they won’t become humans (with consciousness and desires) but they could certainly have products of thinking and reasoning. 2. A Turing machine has no connection whatsoever to statistics or statistical models. As mentioned, I think that even if there were a robot that could think like a human, it would be a mechanical action without consciousness and will. Even today, computers can perform many “human” actions, so in my opinion the expected difference is only quantitative. 3. There are no prohibitions on robots, and there are no worries in the hearts of robots. 4. There could be many, many types. But these are questions of the types we are familiar with today. In my opinion, these are sophisticated machines and nothing more. 5. There is an obvious scientific and technological interest in this. I see no value in searching for ulterior motives behind scientific and technological research and discoveries. If you strive for that, it is clear that there are those who have motivations to show that man is not allowed and that there is no spirit and no choice, but there are also many others who do not.

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אבי replied 8 years ago

On the subject of robots being required to obey the commandments, see the short (and entertaining) story published in Nature a few months ago about a robot writer:

https://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v543/n7647/pdf/543752a.pdf?origin=ppub