Intersection 10: P1N0CCH10

The gamer in me has been dormant ever since I was compelled to sell my Xbox years ago (a necessary recourse, among many, to increase the chances of survival in law school). I haven’t really engaged in any serious or leisurely gameplay, the kind that deprives one of sleep and other human activities. No regrets here, but the kid in me wants to play every now and then. Thank God, then, for that game about the undead and herbs; it stops the craving, albeit temporarily.

I do, however, try to keep up with the developments in the gaming world as much as I can. And one development last year, which resurfaced in July this year at the TED Conference in London, puts forward an intriguing proposition.

Microsoft has unveiled Milo—a virtual human. In line with the intended release of a hands-free, motion-controlled Xbox controller, Milo literally interacts with the gamer. Milo reads the gamer’s emotions, voice, and movements; processes the same; and then reacts to the same. As this exchange of reactions progress, so does the relationship with the virtual human. Peter Molyneux, the Geppetto to Milo’s Pinocchio, says that no two Milo’s would be the same.

You have to see the video demo to fully appreciate Milo. And once you do, you would probably arrive at the same reaction that I had. This is freaky.

It’s as if Asimov’s Bicentennial Man, Star Trek’s Data, and other artificial intelligence characters are moving away from science fiction and edging closer to science fact. I used to believe that androids, cyborgs, holograms, or other similar—uhm—things can acquire sentience; I just didn’t believe it could happen in my lifetime. But Milo made me reexamine this. It just might happen in my lifetime.

Assuming that artificial intelligence and the technology that makes it possible make great strides in the next few years, will this result in a new lifeform, and will human society recognize such as a lifeform? Legally speaking, aside from natural and juridical, will we have a third category of persons? What rights and obligations would we be willing to give them? Do we even have that power to give such rights and obligations? If not persons, are these property? How will their existence impact legal principles?

Though purely and highly speculative at this point, the legal ramifications of this possibility are, at least to this blogger, quite interesting. Perhaps even groundbreaking, or paradigm-shifting. Revolutionary, possibly.

This may not be the scenario he had in mind, but Carlo Collodi must be smiling, in delight, in his grave. Pinocchio is no longer made of wood, but of 0s and 1s.

Cue binary solo, Bret.

-- William G. Ragamat