A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

[ FIRST LAW: Human Safety ] ▲ │ (Overrules) │ [ SECOND LAW: Human Orders ] ▲ │ (Overrules) │ [ THIRD LAW: Self-Preservation ] The Conflict of Priorities

Modern AI alignment researchers face the exact problem highlighted in "Runaround": . How do we program a machine with abstract human values without causing logical conflicts?

If you are searching for an you will find that the story is rarely published on its own. It is most commonly found inside Asimov’s seminal short story collection, I, Robot (1950). When looking for a digital copy, consider these avenues: