Autonomous Robots: Ethical Combatants or Suicide Bombers?

UK robotics professor Noel Sharkey is conjure up a fuss over the US Defense Department ’s intention to put $ 4 billion into “ remote-controlled systems ” in the next year or two . One fear is that spillover from all that R&D will give terrorist new way to establish efficacious GPS - guided felo-de-se submarine for $ 500 or less .

“ How long is it going to be before the terrorists get in on the turn ? With the current prices of robot construction falling dramatically and the availability of ready - made components for the unpaid market , it would n’t expect a lot of skill to make autonomous robot weapon . ”

But Sharkey has other more philosophic government issue , ones that reverberate Isaac Asimov ’s own concerns of more than a half C ago .

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Says the New Scientist :

Sharkey is most concerned about the medical prognosis of having golem decide for themselves when to “ pull the trigger . ” Currently , a homo is always involved in decision of this nature . But the Pentagon is near two years into a inquiry program aimed at possess robots identify possible terror without human help .

But Ronald Arkin of Georgia Tech , the Siskel to Sharkey ’s Ebert , says that because a robot has no emotional baggage , it could be a much more “ ethical ” grampus :

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Arkin suggests trying to design honourable control condition scheme that make military robot respect the Geneva Convention and other rule of interlocking on the battlefield … “ With a automaton I can be sure that a robot will never harbour the intention to hurt a non - combatant , ” he says . “ Ultimately they will be capable to do well than humans . ”

Today , Sharkey , Arkin and others are discuss these matters at length at a symposium called “ The Ethics & Legal Implications of Unmanned Vehicles for Defence and Security Purposes , ” host by the Royal United Services Institute in London . [ RUSI;New Scientist;Reuters ]

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Lesdilley