“Nobel Peace laureate Jody Williams is joining with Human Rights Watch to oppose the creation of killer robots — fully autonomous weapons that could select and engage targets without human intervention. In a new report, HRW warns such weapons would undermine the safety of civilians in armed conflict; violate international humanitarian law; and blur the lines of accountability for war crimes. Fully autonomous weapons do not exist yet, but high-tech militaries are moving in that direction with the United States taking the lead. Williams, winner of the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize for her work with the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, joins us along with Steve Goose, director of Human Rights Watch’s Arms Division. [Includes rush transcript]” - Democracy Now!
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The last speaker, Steve Goose, when discussing AI's prospective ability to preserve non-combatants from harm, ignores research on the idea of developing an artificial conscience (see Ronald Arkin's work). I would also have liked him to address objections to the HRW's position by members of the Hoover Institute and the Brookings Institute (given here: http://www.lawfareblog.com/2012/11/human-rights-watch-report-on-killer-robots-and-our-critique/). Not that I necessarily agree with their positions, but I think including them would provide a fuller debate from both sides.