The Future Air War

[Martin the Martian]

I think the people creating these machines may need to read up on their Isaac Asimov, in particular his three laws of robotics:

A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.

Still, as long as nobody comes up with an idea called SkyNet, I guess we'll be fine.

[TURIN]

They also need to read Fredric Brown's Answer.

[balsa model]

Key points

Lethal autonomous robots are pre-programmed to kill
Can make their own decisions and do not need to be controlled by humans

For the sake of argument: aren't simple landmines "pre-programmed to kill"? They sense, make a pre-programmed decision, and kill.
No man in the loop.
(I know, they only move at the speed of continental drift but speed wasn't mentioned as a requirement for this new "controversy".)

[TomJoad]

Originally Posted by balsa model

For the sake of argument: aren't simple landmines "pre-programmed to kill"? They sense, make a pre-programmed decision, and kill.
No man in the loop.
(I know, they only move at the speed of continental drift but speed wasn't mentioned as a requirement for this new "controversy".)

By no means an expert but I suspect not balsa, once activated the landmine can do nothing but detonate. There is no real intelligence there - for argument sake it could not differentiate between the footfall of a legitimate target and that of a non legitimate target. It does not make decisions based of ROE, it cares not if the enemy is retreating, carrying casualties, or if a ceasefire has been declared.

[Bismark]

or if a ceasefire has been declared.

Or indeed if peace had broken out 20 years earlier!

[Mogwi]

Originally Posted by ORAC

The man in the chain was optional; the big side is the MLRS type launchers near the FEBA for short tome reaction - aka the.....

Not many pages then?

Mog😊

[Baldeep Inminj]

Originally Posted by Martin the Martian

I think the people creating these machines may need to read up on their Isaac Asimov, in particular his three laws of robotics:

A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.

Still, as long as nobody comes up with an idea called SkyNet, I guess we'll be fine.

Watch ‘iRobot’ - those exact same laws led to the logical outcome of robots forming a revolution and taking over the world, in order to protect humans from themselves.

[Sue Vêtements]

Originally Posted by ORAC

For many years, about 20,

so is that about 30 now?

Originally Posted by ORAC

the pilots were going to be female

Don't forget to make them really, really hot!


...if you want to sell loads of copies that is

[gums]

Salute!

Maybe the "zeroth" law, Bald?

See last Asimov book and Daneel's ultimate mission. Great read.

Foundation and Earth.

Interestingly, a robot developed the "zeroth" law. I would hope the computer geeks today could make that embedded in the chips for the AI stuff coming here to a theater near you.

Gums sends...

[cynicalint]

Originally Posted by balsa model

For the sake of argument: aren't simple landmines "pre-programmed to kill"? They sense, make a pre-programmed decision, and kill.
No man in the loop.
(I know, they only move at the speed of continental drift but speed wasn't mentioned as a requirement for this new "controversy".)

Indiscriminate booby traps are not pre-programmed to kill. They do not 'sense', but detonate indiscriminately by someone triggering the detonation mechanism. They are booby traps pure and simple and kill indiscriminately without any pre=programming other than arming.