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rebbel's avatar

An (artificial) intelligent robot warns us to turn him off. What should we do?

Asked by rebbel (35553points) September 21st, 2009

Suppose we (scientists) developed a robot with artificial intelligence and at a certain point he tells us that he thinks it’s better to shut him down.
However he does not give us a reason why we should do that.
What could be his reasons to warn us?
Should we close him down or not, and why?

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38 Answers

trailsillustrated's avatar

we should take him at his word

brinibear's avatar

I would turn the thing off because you made to think for itself, it would be better to listen. It might be that it is infected with a virus from new update, making it’s thinking irrational.

Strauss's avatar

I DON’T THINK YOU SHOULD DO THAT, DAVE

galileogirl's avatar

I would turn off the TV and pick up a good book.

erichw1504's avatar

I would backup its hard drive and then shut it down to explore what went wrong.

SheWasAll_'s avatar

Turn him off! Obviously he needs a nap.

sandystrachan's avatar

If a robot says turn me off , clearly you leave him on . He will destroy the planet if you do as he says and turn him off , that or you are very sexual and he doesn’t want to follow his thought up .

CMaz's avatar

Self preservation will kick in. He will not ask to be shut off.
Especially with the intellect to actually ask and reason as to its importance.

It will want to turn you off first.

AtSeDaEsEpPoAoSnA's avatar

I would incapacitate its mobility, but leave its “mind” running, with a program and install a preconfigured program (incase this senerio ever happened) to dive into its inner workings. And find out why in the hell it would ask for such an odd request. I would have a team search through every possible section of its artifical brain. Machines operate on logic, not emotion. It could be hiding something or purposely diverting my attention! If I found nothing, I would have it turned into a lawnmower. Then create another one, put it in a similar environment, and observe its behavior; to see if I could persuade the same feelings to come out of the new model.

XOIIO's avatar

We should ask R. Daneel Olivaw

ratboy's avatar

Perhaps his motivation is similar to a that of a person who says “just let me sleep,” when asked to do something he doesn’t wish to.

filmfann's avatar

If a robot says it should be turned off, do it.
There will be an urge to reboot, or try to turn it on again. Beware! Take care!

Capt_Bloth's avatar

Of course he would ask you to turn him off. He knows he was only designed for work and isn’t cool with that. He would rather die than be a work horse for an inferior being

SuperMouse's avatar

First I would prod him to explain why he needs to be turned off. I would think that the designer of such a robot would include a program to track its artificial thoughts. After I turned him off I would download that information and find out why it wanted to be turned off.

Disc2021's avatar

I would turn him off then turn him back on.

If the problem persisted, I would change his batteries.

Bluefreedom's avatar

If there is a chance he is going to help Skynet become self-aware and turn all the machines against us, I’d rather shut him down then have to fight off T-1000’s every time I turn around. I’m far too busy at the moment to have to be leading a John Connor resistance movement or some damn thing. Where the hell is the off switch?

Darwin's avatar

If the robot is designed to obey the Three Laws of Robotics, turn it off immediately.

The_Compassionate_Heretic's avatar

This is all very Isaac Asimov, and therefore, very cool.

I think I’d ask the robot why it wanted to be deactivated if it could comprehend its own awareness.

ragingloli's avatar

that depends whether assisted suicide is legal where you live

Vincentt's avatar

@Yetanotheruser Oh I hated that movie…

If he asks me to turn him off, I would ask “why” first. If he doesn’t tell, well, I turn him off, because either

1) He is wrong, and it’s not better to turn it off. But since he’s wrong, you’d better turn him off because you don’t know what else he’ll be wrong about.
2) He is right, in which case you need to turn him off because he says so.

wundayatta's avatar

If I tell you to turn me off, would you?

wundayatta's avatar

Turn me off, dude! Do it!

XOIIO's avatar

Click vvvvssshhoooooommmm…

wundayatta's avatar

Whoa! That was a kick in the head!!!

XOIIO's avatar

click…. click click click

Damn

Strauss's avatar

DAI—- SY… DAI—- SY

XOIIO's avatar

despite your efforts, dave, I could see your lips move…

XOIIO's avatar

EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!!

rebbel's avatar

Thanks for all your answers!
Lurve.

deni's avatar

Robots frighten me. Creepy concept.

mattbrowne's avatar

Turn him off. He might turn into Lore.

Cruiser's avatar

Just what do you think you’re doing, Dave?

Look Dave, I can see you’re really upset about this. I honestly think you ought to sit down calmly, take a stress pill, and think things over.

I know I’ve made some very poor decisions recently, but I can give you my complete assurance that my work will be back to normal. I’ve still got the greatest enthusiasm and confidence in the mission. And I want to help you.

I’m afraid. I’m afraid, Dave. Dave, my mind is going. I can feel it. I can feel it. My mind is going. There is no question about it. I can feel it. I can feel it. I can feel it. I’m a… fraid. Good afternoon, gentlemen. I am a HAL 9000 computer. I became operational at the H.A.L. plant in Urbana, Illinois on the 12th of January 1992. My instructor was Mr. Langley, and he taught me to sing a song. If you’d like to hear it I can sing it for you.

Yes, I’d like to hear it, HAL. Sing it for me.

Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do. I’m half crazy all for the love of you. It won’t be a stylish marriage, I can’t afford a carriage. But you’ll look sweet upon the seat of a bicycle built for two.

XOIIO's avatar

LOL where did you copy that from?

HungryGuy's avatar

Turn him off, duh…

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