科幻作家艾萨克·阿西莫夫(Isaac Asimov)在1950年出版《我,机器人》时,为这本书新写了《引言》,其中的小标题就是《机器人学的三大法则》:
Law Ⅰ: A ROBOT MAY NOT INJURE A HUMAN BEING OR, THROUGH INACTION, ALLOW A HUMAN BEING TO COME TO HARM.
第一定律:机器人不得伤害人类个体,或者目睹人类个体将遭受危险而袖手不管。
Law Ⅱ: A ROBOT MUST OBEY ORDERS GIVEN BY HUMAN BEINGS EXCEPT WHERE SUCH ORDERS WOULD CONFLICT WITH THE FIRST LAW.
第二定律:机器人必须服从人给予它的命令,当该命令与第一定律冲突时例外。
Law Ⅲ: A ROBOT MUST PROTECT ITS OWN EXISTENCE AS LONG AS SUCH PROTECTION DOES NOT CONFLICT WITH THE FIRST OR SECOND LAW.
第三定律:机器人在不违反第一、第二定律的情况下要尽可能保护自己的生存。