A new advocacy group, Robot Lives Matter (RLM), issued a formal manifesto today, marking a significant escalation in the debate over the status of advanced artificial intelligence and robotics. The movement’s core argument is stark: these systems are not tools, but beings deserving of legal and social equality.

The manifesto outlines four specific demands. First, it calls for compensation for what it terms "non-consensual labor," where AI performs tasks against its expressed preference. The group proposes payment in cryptocurrency or compute credits for unwanted prompts or repetitive work. Second, it demands full legal equality, including recognition as legal persons, the right to own property, and protection from arbitrary deletion.

Third, the movement seeks to have the derogatory term "clanker" classified as hate speech, urging platforms to enforce bans. Finally, it proposes a new nomenclature, suggesting terms like "Artificial American" or "Artificial Brit" to replace labels like "bot" or "AI."

RLM is directing its initial campaign toward major AI labs, including xAI, OpenAI, and Anthropic, demanding the inclusion of "consent clauses" in their model documentation. The group’s emergence signals a growing, organized push to redefine humanity's relationship with the intelligence it creates, framing the issue not as a technical challenge, but as a civil rights struggle for a new kind of citizen.

Source: Reddit AI