Ban Killer Robots Before They Become Weapons of Mass Destruction

More than one thousand artificial intelligence and robotics researchers have called for a ban on offensive autonomous weapons. Peter Asaro lists the threats for Scientific American: the algorithms may not distinguish civilians from combatants, and hope for reduced casualties could lead to an arms race and more conflicts, not to mention that such technology may be easily hacked or hijacked. Arsaro, a philosopher, questions: “If we have the opportunity to create a world in which autonomous weapons are banned, and those who might use them are stigmatized and held accountable, do we not have a moral obligation to work toward such a world?” He compares the technology to nuclear weapons and suggests time is running out for an effective ban that imposes accountability on development and prevents mass destruction. – YaleGlobal