The Ethics of Clembot

[Wobbu]

Is it right for Clemont to use Clembot as a substitute for being a Gym Leader?

Since Clemont spends almost all of his time journeying with Ash and friends, he can't be at the Gym to battle challengers wanting to earn a badge, so he uses Clembot to test the challengers. It is known that Clembot is programmed to battle exactly like Clemont would, using the same strategies and tactics, so the battle would be the same whether it was Clemont or Clembot doing the battling.

 

[Spinor]

I'd argue that if Clemont has the genius to accurately program a Pokemon trainer with Gym leader expertise and a degree of emotional intelligence, it is a crime against humanity that he's not attending some Kalos-Institute-of-Technology school and doing some wicked AI research because he wants to follow around a mid-tier trainer and his suitor.

Unless, you know, what gym doesn't have a substitute robot? In that case, sure, go ahead.

(I really don't actually see how a properly calibrated gym leader robot poses an ethical problem as long as there is a neutral referee. The point is to test the skills of challengers anyways.)