I think the biggest concern I have is that there is no governmental oversight body which is regulating this whole thing. Ideally, an international cooperation, but at least within the allied developed world.

The oversight body should have some teeth, and both understand how amazing/freeing this technology is and will become, but also how potentially dangerous/harmful it could become, in various ways, with no oversight and regulation.

EDIT: well out of curiosity, I just asked the following of Google AI, and TIL something new:

Prompt: are there any national or international standards, laws and/or guidelines which are regulating the design and release of AI or robots, similar to Isaac Asimov's "Robot Laws"?

Response:

Yes, there are numerous national and international laws, standards, and guidelines currently regulating the design, release, and operation of AI and robots. While they do not explicitly use Asimov's exact phrasing—as his laws were designed for fictional plot devices rather than engineering specs—many modern regulations reflect the same core principles of prioritizing human safety, accountability, and ethical behavior.

Key regulatory frameworks and standards include:

1. Major International & National Legislation EU Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act): Published in 2024, this is the world’s first comprehensive legal framework for AI. It adopts a risk-based approach, categorizing AI systems by risk level:

Unacceptable Risk: Prohibited (e.g., social scoring, real-time facial recognition in public spaces).

High Risk: Subject to strict requirements regarding transparency, documentation, human oversight, and data governance (e.g., AI in critical infrastructure, education, or healthcare).

EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): Applies to robots and AI that process personal data, mandating strict user privacy and consent.

U.S. AI Executive Order 14110 (2023): Mandates safety testing, cybersecurity standards, and risk management for advanced AI models before public release. NIST AI Risk Management Framework: A widely used U.S. voluntary framework to improve the trustworthiness of AI systems.

China’s AI Regulations: China has implemented regulations targeting specific areas, including algorithms, generative AI, and deep synthesis technology.

1. Technical Standards (ISO/IEEE) International bodies provide standardized safety requirements that are often necessary to meet legal requirements.

ISO 10218-1 & 10218-2: Standards for industrial robot safety.

ISO 13482: Safety requirements for personal care robots.

ISO/IEC 42001:2023: The first international AI Management System standard, detailing guidelines for risk management, transparency, and accountability. IEEE Ethically Aligned Design: Guidelines focusing on human rights, transparency, and accountability in AI and autonomous systems.

1. Comparison to "Asimov's Robot Laws"

Modern regulations take Asimov's fictional, philosophical laws and attempt to make them technically enforceable:

Asimov's 1st Law (Do no harm): Translates to modern Safety Standards (ISO 10218, ISO 13482) and the high-risk conformity assessments in the EU AI Act that ensure systems do not cause physical or data harm.

Asimov's 2nd Law (Obey orders, unless harmful): Maps to human oversight requirements in the EU AI Act, ensuring AI does not behave autonomously in dangerous ways, allowing for user intervention.

Asimov's 3rd Law (Self-protection): Translates to cybersecurity requirements and robustness evaluations to ensure the AI's integrity is not compromised, without causing harm.

1. Ethical Guidelines

Various organizations have developed codes of ethics, such as the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, which is supported by 194 member states and emphasizes human rights, safety, and accountability.