Group: US, Russia block consensus at 'killer robots' meeting

Group: US, Russia block consensus at 'killer robots' meeting
In this Monday, Aug. 27, 2018 file photo, Peter Asaro, left, of the International Committee for Robot Arms Control, and Jody Williams of the Nobel Women's Initiative speak to reporters at a news conference in Geneva, Switzerland. A key opponent of high-tech, automated weapons known as "killer robots" is blaming countries like the U.S. and Russia for blocking consensus at a U.N.-backed conference, where most countries wanted to ensure that humans stay at the controls of lethal machines. (AP Photo/Jamey Keaten, file)

A key opponent of high-tech, automated weapons known as "killer robots" is blaming countries like the U.S. and Russia for blocking consensus at a U.N.-backed conference, where most countries wanted to ensure that humans stay at the controls of lethal machines.

Coordinator Mary Wareham of the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots spoke Monday after experts from dozens of countries agreed before dawn Saturday at the U.N. in Geneva on 10 "possible guiding principles" about such "Lethal Automated Weapons Systems."

Point 2 said: "Human responsibility for decisions on the use of weapons systems must be retained since accountability cannot be transferred to machines."

Wareham said such language wasn't binding, adding that "it's time to start laying down some rules now."

Members of the LAWS conference will meet again in November.

© 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Citation: Group: US, Russia block consensus at 'killer robots' meeting (2018, September 3) retrieved 28 March 2024 from https://phys.org/news/2018-09-group-russia-block-consensus-killer.html
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