'Robots Are Not Taking Over,' Says Head of UN Body of Autonomous Weapons (theguardian.com)

An anonymous reader writes: Robots are not taking over the world," the diplomat leading the first official talks on autonomous weapons assured on Friday, seeking to head off criticism over slow progress towards restricting the use of so-called "killer robots." The United Nations was wrapping up an initial five days of discussions on weapons systems that can identify and destroy targets without human control, which experts say will soon be battle ready. "Ladies and gentlemen, I have news for you: the robots are not taking over the world. Humans are still in charge," said India's disarmament ambassador, Amandeep Gill, who chaired the CCW meeting. "I think we have to be careful in not emotionalizing or dramatizing this issue," he told reporters in response to criticism about the speed of the conference's work. Twenty-two countries, mostly those with smaller military budgets and lesser technical knowhow, have called for an outright ban, arguing that automated weapons are by definition illegal as every individual decision to launch a strike must be made by a human. Gill underscored that banning killer robots, or even agreement on rules, remained a distant prospect.

Comments

Translation:

[Anonymous Coward]

Robots are taking over.

Technically true, but ...

[Anonymous Coward]

So what he really means is that the people who control the back doors in the autonomous weapons are taking over.

Funny how context and what isn't said, can impart so much information.

I'm not worried about robots taking over

[rsilvergun]

I'm worried about a small group of asshole humans using them to oppress me and everyone else for eternity. Right not the aristocracy has to treat a small population well or they get disposed. Robots eliminate even that.