US Seeks To Allay Fears Over Killer Robots (bbc.com)

Humans will always make the final decision on whether armed robots can shoot, the US Department of Defense said today. From a report: The statement comes as plans emerge for gun platforms that can choose their own targets on the battlefield. The plans seek to upgrade existing aiming systems, using developments in machine intelligence. The US said rules governing armed robots still stood and humans would retain the power to veto their actions. The defense department's plans seek to upgrade the current Advanced Targeting and Lethality Automated System (Atlas) used on ground combat vehicles to help human gunners aim. The military is seeking commercial partners to help develop aiming systems to "acquire, identify, and engage targets at least three times faster than the current manual process."

Comments

Oppression through Milgram's Experiment

[DallasTruaxxx]

Armed robots enable oppression by reducing violence to the 'press of a button'. Milgram's Experiment on Obedience to Authority shows us how that one goes.

XKCD nailed it

[rsilvergun]

See here

I'm not worried about sci-fi scenarios where robots kill all humanity. I _am_ worried about the ruling class using killer robots to usher in an endless age of dystopian oppression. Right now about the only thing keeping them a _little_ in check is having to balance the Military and Working Classes. If they go to far the working class lets the military class form a Junta and we get a change of masters with the old order's heads on a pike. Killer robots eliminate the Military class. All that's left is a tiny group of engineers who'll get bought off with an OK life.

If you're a member of the working class you should be doing everything in your power to put the kibosh on this crap. Fast.