Tech
Ban killer robots now before it is too late, Amnesty Int’l tells UN
Killer robots must be banned to prevent unlawful killings, injuries and other violations of human rights ‘before it’s too late’, according to Amnesty International.
The human right non-profit body is calling upon the United Nations to place tough restraints on the development of autonomous weapon systems ahead of key negotiations in Geneva this week.
The development of automated weapons, which can pick out and eliminate targets without input from a human being, has been proliferated over the past decade.
Countries including the UK, France, Israel and the US are known to be developing the technology for use in military and police operations.
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Amnesty International argues humans should remain ‘at the core of critical decisions’ on the use of deadly force, such as the selection and engagement of targets.
The call comes ahead of the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems, which is meeting in Geneva between 27 and 31 August.
During the meeting, states will discuss options for addressing the human rights, humanitarian, ethical and security challenges posed by killer robots.
‘Killer robots are no longer the stuff of science fiction,’ said Rasha Abdul Rahim, an advisor on artificial intelligence and human rights at Amnesty International.
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