This contemporary era has witnessed the rapid development of automated machines, particularly artificial intelligence applied in various domains. However, the possibility that those robots pose threats is irrefutable. Opinions are divided over whether humans’ misuse or automated robots should be solely responsible for potential damage. From my perspective, I believe that the accountability lies with both parties.
On the one hand, unwanted threats can be caused by the unpredictable malfunction of machines. As those machines are produced with a range of complex mechanical components, they can operate unexpectedly and cause damage to their surroundings. Especially, the threats can be fatal and even be insurmountable in cases of autonomous weapons or nuclear reactor controllers. Moreover, rare technical failures may be beyond human control, causing catastrophic threats if not maintained properly and regularly. Therefore, machines are not fully harmless themselves.
On the other hand, I contend that human beings’ errors should also be responsible for the unwanted threats. The reason is that automated machines lack moral judgment and cannot act spontaneously without human intervention. It is people that can be fully capable of controlling them. For instance, the Internet is a perfect place for information exchange, but in the case of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, the two criminals abused it to learn how to make propane bombs at home and used it to create massive explosions in public. This has caused a large debate over the safety of information on the cyber space, leading to governments’ measures to raise people’s awareness over the Internet.
In conclusion, although the likelihood of danger caused by automated machines cannot be dismissed, the robots should not be solely responsible but rather share the accountability with the misuse of human beings for harmful purposes.