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Abstract Noel Sharkey

Human Responsibility in a World Full of Robots

Robots are increasingly moving out of the factories to automate many aspects of our daily lives. In 2014 alone, 4.7 million robots were sold for personal and domestic use with the figure predicted to rise to 35 million by 2018. Yet we appear to be rushing into this robot revolution without due consideration being given to the many unforeseen problems lying around the corner. It is difficult for policy makers and legislators to keep up with the rapidly emerging developments. So it is vitally important that the scientists, researchers and manufacturers develop a socially responsible attitude to their work and are willing to speak out. This talk will consider some of the societal dangers and open a discussion about how we can keep the dream of beneficial robots while avoiding the nightmares.