Where is Arthur C. Clarke when you need him? Are the killer robots coming, or aren't they?
Last week's post, where I dismissed calls to ban 'imaginary' killing machines, sparked a healthy debate, including a drop-in from Noel Sharkey, a roboticist who has advocated banning killer robots. He writes in the comment section:
I approve of Sharon's take on robot scare stories of the past from academics who have read too much science fiction. But in this case we are talking about near-future science fact.
My point, which I'll state here more clearly, is that rather than debating the real issue -- what are the proper limits on the autonomous operations of weapons? -- we are debating something a tad fantastical, an army of self-directing, lethal machines, deciding when they should kill or not. Terminators, in other words. I realize that debating Terminators is more fun, because it provides such sexy headlines as "Automated killer robots 'threat to humanity,'" but I'm not sure it really addresses the main issue.
I have several questions to those who seem to be warning of the robot warrior onslaught.