“Lethal autonomy is inevitable,” said Ronald C. Arkin, the author of “Governing Lethal Behavior in Autonomous Robots,” a study that was funded by the Army Research Office.And if the software has a bug in it and the machine kills when it was not supposed to, would they then charge the software engineers with negligent homicide?
Arkin believes it is possible to build ethical military drones and robots, capable of using deadly force while programmed to adhere to international humanitarian law and the rules of engagement. He said software can be created that would lead machines to return fire with proportionality, minimize collateral damage, recognize surrender, and, in the case of uncertainty, maneuver to reassess or wait for a human assessment.
This country has become a lot more desensitized to war, because combat is now something that only impacts a small percentage of the population. I submit that if we still had an army where a good percentage of the combat soldiers were draftees, that there would be more political ramifications to going to war and our governing classes would not do it so casually.
Moving towards a day when autonomous robots, robotic mercenaries if you will, do the fighting will make war even more likely. We are becoming a nation of chickenhawks.
Those who think that this is a good idea need to have their heads examined.
Is it a good idea? No. It is, however, inevitable. When was the last time humanity turned down an easier way to kill people? Time to start brainstorming a better EMP...
ReplyDeleteIn moments of clarity I've seen that future.
ReplyDeleteAssuming continuous scientific advancement, and assuming we can create artificial intelligence, I don't see any way to avoid us being so blind and privileged and obnoxious that we don't spark our servants into erasing us.
To say nothing of the active community of international hackers that would LOVE a chance to crack these autonomous computerized instruments of death.
ReplyDeleteI thought the SWAT team that took out Jose Guerena was "Terminator MK407".
ReplyDeleteUnthinking lunks who automatically kill. What could possibly go wrong?
Does the Terminator movie series have relevance here ?
ReplyDeleteHere, here ! Bring back the draft !!!