What is the first law of robotics as stated by Asimov?

• A. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm
• B. A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law
• C. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws
• D. A robot must preserve its own life at all costs

Answer: (A)

The central idea here is that human safety sits above everything else in Asimov’s robotic ethics. The first law says a robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. This places protecting people at the highest priority, so the robot must take action to prevent harm whenever possible and may not cause harm directly or indirectly.

That priority shapes how the other rules operate: the robot must follow human orders unless doing so would conflict with preventing harm to a person; it should protect its own existence only as long as that protection doesn’t conflict with keeping humans safe or obeying the first law. Self-preservation at any cost isn’t allowed because it could require harming or failing to prevent harm to humans.