Growing wars worldwide are driving the research and implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) in warfare. Despite concerns over unpredictability and ethical implications, national militaries are increasingly relying on AI technology. This is leading to a multibillion-dollar arms race where Silicon Valley giants and states globally are investing heavily in AI warfare capabilities.
For example, there are AI drones that Ukraine uses to strike Russian oil refineries; for instance, American AI systems have been able to identify targets for airstrikes in Syria and Yemen; Israel is equipped with AI-enabled targeting system that targets Palestinians of Gaza.
The total number of active AI-related projects within the US military exceed 800 and it applied for 1.8 billion dollars as a part of its budget on AI alone by the year 2024, according to the Guardian.
While it is common knowledge that artificial intelligence has been applied in weaponry such as drones and missiles, this has led to the development of Autonomous weapons commonly known as ‘’killer robots’’ or ‘’lethal autonomous robots”. These weapons can make choices regarding which target to hit without any human participation.
History Of Autonomous Weapons
This concept first arose in the 1960s, when the United States designed a missile called “Firebee” that could attack targets without human involvement. During the 1980s, there was an upswing in development of autonomous technologies upon introduction of remotely piloted vehicles (RPVs) and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs).
With the deployment of armed drones by America to Afghanistan and Iraq, use of drones in military operations rose during the 2000s. The 2010s saw countries such as USA, China and Russia put quite some money into research and development which led to significant milestones in Autonomous Weapons Technology.
Pros And Cons Of Autonomous Weapons
The Pros of Autonomous Weapons (AWS) include:
- Autonomous weapons systems act as a "force multiplier" , that is, a lesser number of soldiers are required for a given mission
- AWS can be delegated to perform dangerous tasks, thereby reducing casualties
- AI systems can operate for longer periods of time without experiencing exhaustion or fatigue
- AI is not clouded by human emotions such a fear or hysteria
The Cons of Autonomous Weapons (AWS) include:
-AWS may cause unintended harm or damage.
-AWS may be vulnerable to cyber attacks and hacking.
-There may be a lack of accountability and transparency in AWS decision-making.
-AWS raises ethical concerns about the potential for machines to make life-or-death decisions.
- Over-reliance on AWS can lead to decreased human skills and abilities.
UN Initiatives And Campaigns
The UN General Assembly has established a Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) to discuss the potential risks and benefits of autonomous weapons. The GGE has met annually since 2017.
Some countries, like Austria, Brazil, and Chile, have enacted national laws or policies regulating autonomous weapons. Others, like the United States, Russia, and China, have developed guidelines or directives for their development and use.
Civil society organisations, like the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, advocate for a preemptive ban on autonomous weapons. Other initiatives, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), focus on developing ethical and legal frameworks for their development and use.
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