Some of the brightest scientist and technology leaders are urging the ban of killer robots and unmanned intelligence weapons.
A letter was written and signed by Professor Steven Hawkins, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, and other respected leaders of the science technology community. This letter was signed by over 1,000 robotic researchers and 1,000 others. This letter calls for a ban on “offensive autonomous weapons”, weapons that can kill people on their own without human help and can’t be stopped by human intervention. This letter warned against a ‘military artificial intelligence arms race’ that could destroy the human race. The letter was presented at the International Joint Conference of Artificial Intelligence in Argentina. The letter writers aren’t anti-artificial intelligence. In fact, the letter argues AI can be good. For example, AI can protect our military in combat zones. They acknowledge that. But there’s concern offensive weapons could turn wherever they want and cause great human death and destruction. Hawkins even said such AI is our biggest threat. They’re calling on the UN to stop the threat. And there are other groups like Campaign to Stop Killer Robots to call attention to this issue.
I’m glad someone is exposing the potential threat. When I was a kid, I used to hear stories and watch shows about how robots could take over the world and destroy the Earth and her inhabitants. I never thought we’d see it happen. But here we are faced with this threat. What if someone turns on these machines and can’t turn them off? Next thing you know, dozens are dead. There’s no apology, explanation, investigation, lawsuit, or criminal trial that’s going to bring the dead back. This is why we need to prevent offensive autonomous weapons before they’re turned on in the first place. Or worse, what if they’re deliberately turned on with malicious intent to kill innocent human beings? You don’t think somebody is that psychopathic?