Robots with Moral Status?

What conditions would have to be met for us to possibly consider artificial intelligence (AI) systems as persons? To address this question, I discuss what it would take for AI systems to become metaphysical persons, otherwise referred to as intelligent agents. An intelligent agent is goal-based, acts upon information it perceives from its environment, and is capable of making decisions and choosing a course of action based on its own experiences. First, I make important distinctions in definitions of persons and personhood, such as the distinction between metaphysical personhood, moral personhood, and moral standing. Second, I present Michael Tooley's notion of personhood, focusing on his requirement that an entity have self-consciousness and a concept of itself as a continuing subject of experiences and mental states.