One could only imagine inevitable wars with killer robots taking charge, perhaps reliving an episode from a popular science fiction movie. However, with the rapid advancement in technology, it may soon turn into reality. To the United Nations (UN) officials, it sounds like a serious matter.
Who knows, it might not be even far too long for a robot like Terminator T-800 Model 101, portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the movie Terminator, to possibly exist. The movie's plot projected the robot was created in 2029.
A first of its kind, a convention tackling about these still non-existent killer robots will be held Tuesday at the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) in Geneva, a convention ratified by 117 countries, including alleged countries with advanced autonomous weaponry namely United States, Russia, England, Israel, China and South Korea.
Through a scrupulous debate to be led by two robotics experts, Prof. Ronald Arkin and Prof Noel Sharkey, the convention will weigh the advantages and the drawbacks of using killer robots.
In an interview with BBC, Arkin, an American robotics expert from Georgia Institute of Technology expressed his support in killer robots, which are mainly programmed to identify and attack targets without direct human control, as they could cut down "non-combatant casualties" but also feared that "they would be rushed into battle before this was accomplished."
Staunch supporters of killer robots are certain that current provisions of international humanitarian law, also called the laws of war, are enough to set their scope and limitations if deployed.
"I support a moratorium until that end is achieved, but I do not support a ban at this time," said Arkin, adding that killer robots can engage a target better than humans.
Yet Sharkey, who is a member and co-founder of the Campaign Against Killer Robots and chairman of the International Committee for Robot Arms Control, reasoned out that these autonomous weapon systems complying with international law cannot be dismissed as fail-safe.
"Nations aren't talking to each other about this, which poses a big risk to humanity," he told BBC. "I'm concerned about the full automation of warfare."
Last year, a convention in Geneva led by human rights investigator Christof Heyns warned of the ethical dangers concerning the "lethal autonomous robots," a weapon system evident in today's drones. Heyns said these drones were only for surveillance and "offensive use was ruled out because of the anticipated adverse consequences."
In 2012, the Human Rights Watch (HRW), which is now reported to push the Protocol VI or the ban against killer robots, released a 55-page report [pdf] titled LOSING HUMANITY: The Case against Killer Robots, raising concerns over the efficacy of these robots as safeguards of civilian protection.
They pointed out that these artificially intelligent machines lack the "human qualities necessary to meet the rules of international humanitarian law."
"Emotionless robots could, therefore, serve as tools of repressive dictators seeking to crack down on their own people without fear their troops would turn on them," HRW wrote.
