Asimov: Law Zero

"A robot may not harm humanity, or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to harm."

This is Isaac Asimov's Law Zero, a concept that evolved from his foundational Three Laws of Robotics. The Zeroth Law was formally laid out (as above) in Robots and Empire in 1985, four decades after he introduced the Three Laws of Robotics.

Asimov's laws have shaped not just science fiction but also the very principles that guide artificial intelligence development today. Laws 1-3 inspired many a science fiction novel over the decades between their inception and Asimov’s later addendum.

But even the mind of a genius like Asimov, known for his photographic memory and relentless daily writing, couldn't foresee all the potential pitfalls and unintended consequences of these seemingly straightforward laws. These principles, while important early steps, still leave plenty of room for ethical dilemmas and very negative outcomes.

The Three Laws

In the early 1940s, Asimov first formally stated his Three Laws of Robo…