We didn’t expect a Campaign to Stop Killer Robots to be needed in the world - but it is.
Our lives are becoming increasingly automated, from smart houses and targeted advertising to ‘self-service’ passport control. Technologies like facial recognition, and many other forms of artificial intelligence have been ‘quietly’ introduced and are gradually becoming integrated into our everyday lives with both positive and negative implications for people around the world.
What does this have to do with killer robots?
At the most extreme end of the spectrum of increasing automation lie autonomous weapons or killer robots. Autonomy in technology needs regulation because governments and companies are developing weapons that automate the decision to use force.
These technologies dehumanise people, they reduce us to stereotypes – data to be processed. Meaningful human control should be central to our relationship with technology and the role it plays in our lives. We need to value people, in all our complexities and humanity – stopping killer robots is therefore essential.
With growing digital dehumanisation, the Stop Killer Robots coalition works to ensure human control in the use of force. Our campaign calls for new international law on autonomy in weapons systems.
So, when it comes to digital dehumanisation - to weapons systems that will target people - we need 'less autonomy, more humanity'.
1
Technology can be amazing. But just because we can build something, it doesn’t mean we should. Many technologies with varying degrees of autonomy are already being widely rolled out without pausing to consider the consequences of normalising their use. Why do we need to talk about this?
2
Autonomy in weapons systems is a profoundly human problem. Killer robots change the relationship between people and technology by handing over life and death decision-making to machines. They challenge human control over the use of force, and where they target people, they dehumanise us – reducing us to data points.
