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Comment by sph | Hacker News Reader

A new form a dystopian science fiction: one where robots have better labor rights than humans.

There's a 1959 Asimov short story where a futuristic government overrelying on automation realizes they can replace expensive computers driving ships and missiles with humans to save on expenditures.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Feeling_of_Power

You laugh, but that was literally the strategy behind XCOR and Virgin Galactic picking non-automated, non-fly-by-wire guidance systems for their space vehicles. The regulatory overhead and avionics development costs of using uncrewed systems is far higher than for crewed systems with test pilots. Or at least, that was the argument in the late 90s and early 2000s.

...fiction? At the very least, robots have full coverage healthcare.

But only with regards to health issues that affect their workplace performance. I don't think they are covered for problems that may affect them outside of normal working hours. Speaking of which, I don't think their work/life balance is that great.

Not until the [redacted] laws, when they decided humans should work at least 10 hours a day and robots 1 hour a day, given that they produce 10x more work in the same amount of time.

only until retirement.

Ironically, that’s sort of drone for drones in aviation. Any person can just fly an ultralight. Without any kind of pilot’s license. And without nearly the kind of regulatory overhead of even smaller drones.

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