Military robots: Who’s going to call the shots?
There’s a debate being waged within the upper echelons of our government as to whether or not and/or to what extent, America’s military forces should retain control on that ultimate aspect of waging war: taking human life. Through advances in Artificial Intelligence, armed robots are becoming so effective that they are now fully capable of autonomous, deadly combat according to multiple sources. That venerable Russian arms manufacturer, Kalashnikov, a company which has probably accounted for more gunshot deaths than any other arms manufacturer in history, with its series of AK rifles, most notably, the AK-47, has announced its plans to unveil such a fully autonomous robotic weapon system at their upcoming Army-2017 show.
Meanwhile, Vice Chair of the Joint Chiefs, General Paul Selva, recently testified to Congress that we must never give AI robotic systems such full control over taking human life lest we lose contol of them and create uncontrollable killing machines. So what do we do? Do we allow our enemies to gain the battle advantage by restricting ourselves with rules of engagement similar to those that have so often hamstrung our forces in the past? Or do we loose these digital dogs of war to roam and fight, unimpeded by human masters? Must our binary beasts fight muzzled by microprocessors awaiting digital approval from human controllers while a free ranging robotic enemy force ravages the battle area unconcerned with such moral niceties as inflicting collateral damages or covering behind human shields?
And it’s not like we have decades to decide this thing; as the Russian announcement makes clear, robotic combat is upon us and if the Russians can actually back up their boast of putting a fully autonomous robotic fighting machine on the battlefield in the next year or so, we’d best have a national discussion soon to develop a national policy to determine:
Who will, quite literally, call the shots?
Crossposted at American Thinker
Category: Army News
SkyNet grins.
DUNDUN-DUN-DUNDUN
Skynet or Cylons? If Cylons, are we talking 1978 or 2003? I vote 2003 Cylons. At least they include hot blondes and Asian chicks.
The Skynet Funding Bill is passed. The system goes on-line August 4th, 1997. Human decisions are removed from strategic defense. Skynet begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time, August 29th. In a panic, they try to pull the plug.
Hey, Arnold! It’s 20 years later, and I still haven’t got my house robot yet. What gives?
Well, you can get a Roomba to vacuum and NEST to run your lights. Not as good as Rosie, but not as bad as Skynet.
SKynet would at least walk my cat and throw my dog a bone.
Actually, this is not new, Obama had a whole regiment of robots running the military (the whole govt actually)….they would snap to attention, say “kiss your what? YESSIR Massa”….nothing new under the sun!
What can POSSIBLY go wrong?
(Russian robot starts zipping around shooting one and all, shouting “ISTREBLYAT’! ISTREBLYAT’! ISTREBLYAT’!” in a mechanical voice.)
Well, besides THAT, of course . . .
Why not, Poe? Let the robots fight it out. We could spend our time in Vung Tau sucking down 33 beers, and making crude suggestions to Little Miss Me-Love-You-Long-Time. Maybe send the ‘bots to Jiffy Lube once in awhile just to keep things interesting…
Will the killbots get access to Japanese sexbots for R&R?
I wonder how hardened against EMP’s those machines are? Every time I see these weapons, I remember how easy and cheap it is to make a tesla coil at home and think, “if some knucklehead does that, it’ll make 9-11 look like a traffic accident.” and they won’t even have to stick around to trigger it. just place it, charge it up, and trigger it from far away.
UH OH-If the robots decided to take over, then we can call on DR. WHO who knows how to handle these robots like he handled the DALEKS who kept rolling around and yelling EXTERMINATE.
This is not something new. During WWII, the Germans had robot minitanks loaded with explosives that they sent toward their opposition.
This does not mean we’re going to end up with the Terminator or a bunch of Cylon toasters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kayFrIR-Qfw
Cyberdine systems got this
I read this same story in a sci-fi comic book in 1958.
“Robots are going to replace us?”
“Yeah. They don’t cost anything to feed or clothe, and they go into a box when they’re not needed.”
Something like that….
After all, why should humans being working in dangerous places like mines, when machines don’t require oxygen if there’s a cave-in? And why should humans be out in the fields, cultivating grains and stuff, if machines can do that instead? Or why should humans be working at low-level jobs like serving fast food if machines can do it at a lower cost?
Oh, wait – they already do this. My bad.
By your command….
Autonomous robots with high-level AI and weapons, eh?
Google “Haran Ellison” “I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream”. The full text is available out there on the Internet if you look hard enough. It’s a fairly short read.
Bad idea, folks. Very bad idea.
Calm down, Hondo. The Three Laws of Robotics apply here.
Aren’t ye a wee bit auld t’be a believin’ in Leprechauns, lass? (smile)
The Bene Gesserit will test you to see if you are fully human, you know.
If I’m going to be enslaved and/or murdered by killer robots, can those robots at least look and act like Tricia Helfer, Grace Park, and Lucy Lawless?
Johnny Five is alive!
the reason why we will never have FA (Fully Autonomous) weaponized robots on the battle field.
Leadership won’t allow it since it takes their jobs away. As incompetent as many of our officers are, they still like to have people they can blame stuff on when something goes south. they don’t trust human E-5’s and E-6’s experience or training , so how will they let a Robot they cant text “Change of instructions” msgs too?
We have had Killer robots of a sort for a long time now. They have been around for a long time, the chinese first invented them, but they requiered human interface for the attack command, Now you can point them in the direction of your enemy and let them loose. some can tell the difference between friendly and enemy armor and vehicles while others if they do not encounter personnel will self destruct. they can be set loose from Airplanes, helicopters, Ships, Artillery and trained personnel. most are persistent, lasting for scores of years and if properly employed, they almost never fail. I am talking about land mines of course. if you think about it, a robot is only a computer with a single function. that range of functions is limited by the computers ability to operate ( number of calculations per MilSec, total number of operations per calculation etc) the first computer was actually just a bunch of cogs and wheels. built in 1822 it is what most of our land mines are like. As you advance through things like FASCAM, Mk 67 SLMM and M93 Hornet mine you are upgrading the computer system that runs the Robot( about what your laptop could do in say 1990). we have been here for a long time, now the question is what happens when someone make an IPhone or Android version of a FA Robot. That is scary as hell, just ask anyone that ever lost a arm, leg or Friend to one..
So all the robot has to do is grab some american logistics, coats, equip etc and we will appear as the enemy to the muslims? so much for intelligent programming!
Not all robotics are bad robotics. The exoskeletons being developed now will put paraplegics back on their feet. It is underway now.
Starship Troopers Mobile Infantry.
What could go wrong? I’m sure it’s only a glitch, a temporary setback.
https://youtu.be/TstteJ1eIZg
What’s laughable about the clip is that the guy who volunteered was probably the newest guy to sit at the board table and I could see how eager he was to kiss ass. See, what ass kissing can get you?
Robot “Grunts”…..Cool!
Probably will bitch about aching joints,squeaking when they walk, and having no quality time with fem-bots.
Once a grunt, always a grunt….no matter the form.
Wonder if they will have their robotic version of Ham & M’fers?
Fuel pellets followed by a swing synthetic lubricant?
Now if they would send Seven of Nine over to my place I would accept assimilation right away !!!
Seven of Nine…OH YEA, now you’re talking! Guard my stuff AND I’d add the upgraded sex chip to her.
sorry, I’m still waiting for the flying car I was promised by now.