From John Hawcock
In her letter, Helena Telkänranta mentions “rigid rules” being used to prevent AIs harming humans, such as Isaac Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics (20 August, p 30). These risk invoking the Law of Unintended Consequences, as Jack Williamson pointed out in his “Humanoids” novels. In these, the humanoids did protect humans from harm – including preventing such high-risk activities as smoking, drinking, eating fatty food and contact sports.
In other words, adherence taken literally could result in all humans being treated as small children. Not an outcome I would want, any more than the extinction option discussed in your existential issue (23 July, p 40).
London, UK
