Is a landmine an autonomous weapon?

Is a landmine an autonomous weapon?

These days, the modern equivalent of landmines are lethal autonomous weapon systems, which delegate life-and-death decisions to machines. These so-called killer robots are able to make a life-and-death decision without human intervention.

Are mines lethal autonomous weapons?

The oldest automatically triggered lethal weapon is the land mine, used since at least the 1600s, and naval mines, used since at least the 1700s. Anti-personnel mines are banned in many countries by the 1997 Ottawa Treaty, not including the United States, Russia, and much of Asia and the Middle East.

What are examples of autonomous weapons?

An example of an autonomous weapon in use today is the Israeli Harpy drone, which is programmed to fly to a particular area, hunt for specific targets, and then destroy them using a high-explosive warhead nicknamed “Fire and Forget.” But a far more provocative example is illustrated in the dystopian short film …

What qualifies as a lethal autonomous weapon?

Lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS), or weapons designed to independently select and engage targets without the need for manual human control, could enable military operations in communications-degraded or -denied environments where traditional systems may not be able to operate.

Are lethal autonomous weapons AI?

Lethal autonomous weapons systems – also called “slaughterbots” or “killer robots” – are weapon systems that use artificial intelligence (AI) to identify, select, and kill targets without human intervention.

Are autonomous weapons ethical?

The primary ethical argument for autonomous weapon systems has been results-oriented: that their potential precision and reliability might enable better respect for both international law and human ethical values, resulting in fewer adverse humanitarian consequences.

Why we should ban autonomous weapons?

The military potential of autonomous weapons is too great. Secretary-General António Guterres wrote on Twitter, “Autonomous machines with the power and discretion to select targets and take lives without human involvement are politically unacceptable, morally repugnant and should be prohibited by international law.”

Are lethal autonomous weapons good?

Some military experts hold that autonomous weapons systems not only confer significant strategic and tactical advantages in the battleground but also that they are preferable on moral grounds to the use of human combatants.