UG scientists worry about ‘killer robots’

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UG scientists worry about ‘killer robots’

A group of UG scientists is extremely concerned about the invention and development of autonomous weapons. In an open letter to the government, the group, together with 160 other Dutch scientists, argues for stricter international regulations.
2 December om 10:55 uur.
Laatst gewijzigd op 4 December 2020
om 9:33 uur.
December 2 at 10:55 AM.
Last modified on December 4, 2020
at 9:33 AM.
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Door Giulia Fabrizi

2 December om 10:55 uur.
Laatst gewijzigd op 4 December 2020
om 9:33 uur.
Avatar photo

By Giulia Fabrizi

December 2 at 10:55 AM.
Last modified on December 4, 2020
at 9:33 AM.
Avatar photo

Giulia Fabrizi

Van uit de hand gelopen studentenfeestjes tot bezette universiteitsgebouwen en van kamertekorten tot dreigende bezuinigingen: Giulia houdt al het nieuws in de gaten. Ze praat graag met de mensen die het aangaat, schrijft erover en begeleidt freelancers bij het maken van nieuwsartikelen. Eerder werkte ze als stadsredacteur Groningen en gemeenteverslaggever Haren voor Dagblad van het Noorden.

The group, which includes artificial intelligence professor Rineke Verbrugge and governance and innovation professor Andrej Zwitter, say autonomous weapons lower the threshold to warfare. They also fear that developing is ‘creating a costly arms race that will not bring more safety, but leads to regional and global tensions.’

Government stance

The Dutch government is scheduled to re-assess its stance on autonomous weapons and their use. The Advisory Council on International Affairs and the Advisory Committee on Public International Law are currently assessing the topic. Their evaluation will form the basis for the government’s stance.

The experts say it’s important that ‘the Netherlands commits itself to the development of an international legally binding agreement to ensure that there is meaningful human control over the use of force’. The scientists feel that weapons should not be able to autonomously select and attack targets. A system like this is currently in development.

Urgent action

With the open letter, the experts add their appeal to those made earlier by international scientists and technology corporations who are arguing for stricter regulations on a national level in other countries. 

The letter writers call on the Dutch government to join international efforts to pre-emptively ban the weapons, and to never develop, buy, or use them.

‘Urgent action is needed to address these concerns and to prevent the proliferation of lethal autonomous weapons’, they write. ‘Once this Pandora’s box is opened, it’s going to be very hard to close. As far as we are concerned, it is five to twelve.’

Dutch

02 December 2020 | 4-12-2020, 9:33
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