The future of robotics raises important questions for humanity. Will robots be able to act as agents in their own right and make moral and ethical decisions? Impressive advances in artificial intelligence mean robots may become capable of replacing human beings in every task imaginable. What are the ethical implications of such a development? How do we prepare for such a future?

Questions on the ethics and morality of robotics were debated by panelists specializing in ethics, law, computer science, data security and privacy, in the Oxford Union Debating Chamber.