Feb

27

Sci-fi reality?

February 27, 2008 |

Linda Hamilton, protect us:

The world is sleepwalking into an international robot arms race, a leading expert will warn today.

Prof Noel Sharkey fears increased research and spending on unmanned military systems by countries including the US, Russia, China and Israel will lead to the use of autonomous battlefield robots that can decide when to kill within a decade.

In a keynote speech he will also predict it is only a matter of time before robots become a standard terrorist weapon to replace suicide bombers.

. . .”We are rapidly moving towards robots that can make the decision to apply lethal force, when to apply it and who to apply it to. I think maybe we’re taking about a 10-year time frame.

“If one country develops autonomous robots, it is clear that other countries will follow suit. What worries me is real soldiers can use common sense in situations such as deciding whether a woman is pregnant or carrying explosives. Robots do not.

“Neither can they make decisions about the proportional use of force. Most soldiers would not for example blow up a school full of children if there is a sniper on its roof, but who knows what a robot would do.”

Ladies and gentlemen, we can not allow an autonomous robot gap!


Comments

2 Comments so far

  1. mrs. zummo on February 27, 2008 10:34 am

    I’m no military expert, but wasn’t the reason that Al Queda and all those terrorist organizations are so dangerous is because they are low tech and blend into regular civilian situations. Yes even if Al Queda get it’s hands on one of these robot things and sends it into a crowd, it’s not going to look like Arnold from Terminator. Everyone will shout, “Look a weird military Robot! Run!”

  2. admin on February 27, 2008 11:28 am

    Hey. Don’t mock the robotic rules. :)
    Robot Rules

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