James Drogan

Re Conversations with Dave

Some time ago I read, probably in the MIT Technology Review, of a set of autonomous "net-bots" or "tech-bots" that were introduced and activated in a relatively small contiguous area. The bots were unaware on one another at the time of activation. Shortly thereafter, however, they had established contact with one another and were exchanging information about the environment. As I recall, included in their program was a set of rules that allowed them to pick one of their number as the control point of the network.

There is a very strong parallel here with the notion of self-organizing teams.

This is an interesting development, ripe with opportunity for good, and for evil.

I'm reminded here of Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics:

1. A robot may not harm a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence, as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.