Advanced weapons could trigger a dangerous arms race. (Photo : Reuters)
Artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics researchers from across the world have called on all nations to stop the development of autonomous weapon systems, according to a report by the Want China Times.
Experts say that the development of such advanced weapons could trigger a dangerous arms race.
The open letter, which was announced on July 28 at the International Joint Conferences on Artificial Intelligence 2015, has been signed by prominent figures in the realm of robotics research, as well as those outside of the field.
However, almost no Chinese researcher signed the petition and it is believed that they are under tremendous pressure not to sign the document, despite the fact that the number of Chinese papers this year has exceeded those from the U.S.
The contents of the letter outline a joint opposition against weapons that select and engage targets without human intervention.
It cites armed quadcopters, among many examples, that can be programmed for search and destroy operations to eliminate people.
Furthermore, the letter says that unlike nuclear weapons, they significantly cost less and, therefore, susceptible to mass production and accessible by terrorist organizations.
"Autonomous weapons are ideal for task such as assassinations, destabilization of nations and ethnic cleansing," the letter reads.
According to London's Financial Times, the U.S. is already ahead of research and development into the field of advanced warfare.
The paper also stated that the United States Naval Research Laboratory has already invested a total of $7.5 million regarding the development of such weapons, citing educational institutions such as Tufts University, Brown University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Georgetown University and Yale.
