European Parliament Passes Resolution Calling For An International Ban On Killer Robots (bbc.com)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from the BBC: The European Parliament has passed a resolution calling for an international ban on so-called killer robots. It aims to pre-empt the development and use of autonomous weapon systems that can kill without human intervention. Last month, talks at the UN failed to reach consensus on the issue, with some countries saying the benefits of autonomous weapons should be explored. And some MEPs were concerned legislation could limit scientific progress of artificial intelligence. While others said it could become a security issue if some countries allowed such weapons while others did not. The resolution comes ahead of negotiations scheduled at the United Nations in November, where it is hoped an agreement on an international ban can be reached. Israel, Russia, South Korea and the U.S. opposed the new measures, saying that they wanted to explore potential "advantages" from autonomous weapons systems.

Comments

North Korea & Iran

[rsilvergun]

don't have the resources to make kill bots that can present any real threat. I don't just mean they're incapable of building them (they are) but they don't have enough raw materials. China won't bother with kill bots because they've got plenty of expendables. Russia is a joke of a country that wouldn't be a threat if US politics weren't such a disaster.

I'll tell you want _does_ worry me about kill bots: the rich using them to do away with the need to take care of the working class. As it stands the ultra wealthy have to fear being disposed in a coup by the military they use to oppress. That goes away once they have kill bots. They not only don't need us they don't have to fear us.

I think this is all basically inevitable unless we get to work building a society where nobody's left behind and everyone's taken care of and do it now before they've got their autonomous weapons. We either create a culture that says everybody, no matter how lazy or worthless, deserves a decent life and then make it happen or we get ready for a time when because the least of use can be declared worthless _all_ of us can be.