"Given these conflicting reports, we cannot be sure that the SGR-A1 has an autonomous function. But we can confidently say that neither Samsung Techwin nor South Korea could admit to it even if it did. Why is that? Peter Asaro, co-founder of the International Committee for Robot Arms Control (ICRAC), hints at one plausible reason: the South Koreans “got a lot of bad press about having autonomous killer robots on their border.” This “bad press” is largely a result of advocacy groups out to ban lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS). There are a number of reasons for their concern, but a primary one is the fear that LAWS will lower the threshold for states to engage in armed conflict."
- Date Published:03/01/2015
- Original Publication:Lawfare