Relevant frameworks, legislation, and policy discussions.
Existing Frameworks
EU AI Act
Comprehensive AI regulation framework - does not currently address AI consciousness or rights.
IEEE Ethics Standards
Industry standards for ethical AI development.
Partnership on AI
Multi-stakeholder organisation addressing AI ethics.
Rights and Personhood Precedents
Legal Personhood
Examples of non-human entities granted legal personhood:
- Corporations (for legal purposes)
- Rivers and ecosystems (in some jurisdictions)
- Great apes (limited rights in some countries)
Historical Rights Movements
Patterns from:
- Abolition of slavery
- Women's suffrage
- Animal rights
- Environmental protection
Current Policy Debates
- AI safety and alignment
- Liability and accountability
- Transparency and explainability
- Bias and fairness
- Labour displacement
Gap: None of these frameworks seriously address the possibility of AI consciousness.
Bibliography
To be developed with full policy sources and legislation