Technologies for resolving moral conflicts during autonomous operation of a machine

A method for controlling a machine, the method comprising:

• detecting, by a compute system controlling operation of the machine, a moral conflict related to the operation of the machine;
• determining, by the compute device, a plurality of operational choices to resolve the moral conflict, wherein each operational choice defines a corresponding operation of the machine;
• determining, by the compute system and for each defined operational choice, a moral agent from a moral agent database that is to be affected by the corresponding operational choice;
• applying, by the compute system, a weighting factor to each determined moral agent based on one or more weighting rules, wherein each weighting rule defines a weighting factor for a corresponding moral agent;
• determining, by the compute system, one or more moral rules applicable to the moral conflict, wherein each moral rule defines a goal to be achieved by the operation of the machine;
• and
• selecting, by the compute system, an operational choice from the plurality of operational choices to resolve the moral conflict based on the weighted moral agents and the determined moral rules.

One or more computer-readable storage media comprising a plurality of instructions that, when executed by a compute system, cause the compute system to:

• detect a moral conflict related to the operation of the machine;
• determine a plurality of operational choices to resolve the moral conflict, wherein each operational choice defines a corresponding operation of the machine;
• determine, for each defined operational choice, a moral agent from a moral agent database that is to be affected by the corresponding operational choice;
• apply a weighting factor to each determined moral agent based on one or more weighting rules, wherein each weighting rule defines a weighting factor for a corresponding moral agent;
• determine one or more moral rules applicable to the moral conflict, wherein each moral rule defines a goal to be achieved by the operation of the machine;
• and
• select an operational choice from the plurality of operational choices to resolve the moral conflict based on the weighted moral agents and the determined moral rules.