Hasta la vista, baby: reflections on the risks of algocracy, killer robots, and artificial superintelligence

The neologism Algocracy may mean government or governance by algorithms. Architects of artificial intelligence have perspectives on killer robots and government by artificial superintelligence and are engaged in public debate on both themes. The risks of being dominated by artificial superintelligence and of being subjected to undemocratic, unconstitutional or illegal algo norms inspires our reflection. Institutions should organize rules of the game that prevent machine learning algorithms from learning how to dominate humans. Algorithms need new design requirements to incorporate responsibility, transparency, auditability, incorruptibility, and predictability. The algorithmic responsibility of the state, national public policies for developing a trustworthy AI, and the algorithmic law of killer robots and artificial superintelligence could reduce the risks of algocracy. The particular character of algorithms demands a special discipline to control their power, architecture, and commands. law and government can channel the development and use of killer robots, eventually even setting a global prohibition of autonomous weapons. Likewise, the threat of government by algorithms posed by the emergence of an artificial superintelligence that dominates humankind also requires the development of a new algorithmic law that establishes checks and balances and controls the technological system.