Who Will Stop the Robots?

Who Will Stop the Robots?

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By Liran Antebi

23327300_mA new INSS article presents the challenges posed by unmanned tools and systems, which play an increasingly large role in the modern battlefields, as these tools have significant advantages that encourage many countries and violent non-state actors to develop and use them. In recent years there have been calls demanding to restrict the development and use of unmanned tools, but despite these moral concerns, the use of unmanned tools has grown considerably.

This advanced technology raises moral, ethical, legal, and social concerns and questions. The article explains basic terms in the area of unmanned warfare, examines the developments made in the past twenty years, and presents the United States’ future plans in the field. It raises various challenges facing the field, including technological, while making the claim that limiting the field’s development will be difficult if not impossible due to the investments made by many countries, the large role unmanned tools and systems already play in today’s battlefield, and the field’s potential in the context of non-military uses, such as in science, medicine, services, and industry.

Unmanned systems still suffer from various technological limitations. In addition to an inability to reach human levels of precision and difficulties when faced with physical obstacles, unmanned vehicles are vulnerable to cyber attacks – attacks which can lead to malfunctions or even hostile takeovers. In addition to complex legal challenges and technological threats there are important social and moral concerns. Apocalyptic war between man and machine is a veteran horror theme in popular culture, for example, and many wonder if precision killing simply became too easy.

IHLS – Israel Homeland Security

Predator UAV armed with Hellfire missiles. Photo: U.S. Air Force
Predator UAV armed with Hellfire missiles. Photo: U.S. Air Force

President Obama led the trend of increased unmanned tools’ usage mainly to allow for aerial attacks in the asymmetric conflict between the US and violent non-state actors in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Yemen. American declarations on restricting the use and purchasing of full autonomous weapons are a response to the calls asking to restrict these weapons. These declarations do not stop the US and other countries from developing this technology for both military and civilian usage.

One can conclude that under the current circumstances it is difficult to restrict unmanned tools, and perhaps there is a lack of desire to do so. Development of these tools will not cease even if some steps are taking to delay it. Though there is certainly a need to supervise and restrict this field, the anticipated difficulty of doing so is great as these weapons are inexpensive, available, and have current and future civilian uses. It is important for decision makers and for the public to be aware of the advantages and the potential inherent in unmanned tools, but also of the risks this field brings with it, which should be addressed in a serious manner.

Click here to read the full article.

INSS Military and Strategic Affairs; Volume 5; No. 2; September 2013

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