Curiosity
Call for ban on Killer Robots campaign
Call for ban on Killer Robots campaign
A political pressure group, known as the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots is calling for a total ban on the future development of robotic weapons that could kill humans without being ordered to do so by a human operator.
The group, headed by Nobel Prize winner Jody Williams believes the robotic weapons will soon become reality and pose a threat to the human rights of all the people of the world.
Campaigners believe weapons development will soon bring about weapons capable of making decisions without human interference of which people are targeted by the weapons.
Many scientists believe a treaty banning the use of such weapons is not required as there is no detailed timescale of when they will be ready for use. The issue has been highlighted by the growing use of unmanned drones, which do require a human being to give commands over targets and flight paths.
“Lethal armed robots that could target and kill without any human intervention should never be built,” said Steve Goose, Arms Division director at Human Rights Watch. “A human should always be ‘in-the-loop’ when decisions are made on the battlefield. Killer robots would cross moral and legal boundaries, and should be rejected as repugnant to the public conscience.”
The Campaign to Stop Killer Robots believe robotic weapons, which do not require a human to give orders are already being developed and could be placed into use without a public debate.
“Many militaries are pursuing ever-greater autonomy for weaponry, but the line needs to be drawn now on fully autonomous weapons,” Goose said. “These weapons would take technology a step too far, and a ban is needed urgently before investments, technological momentum, and new military doctrine make it impossible to stop.”
The U.K. claims it has no plans to develop such weapons, while the U.S. claims it plans to keep humans in the loop when it comes to control of the use of weapons.
http://t.co/3ST0Xw5i
On The Web:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22250664
Campaigners call for ban on “killer robots”
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/04/23/us-arms-robots-idUKBRE93M12620130423