Debating Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems

Technology and the armed forces have a symbiotic relationship. Many technologies which are presently used in day-to-day life, like the Internet or navigation systems (global positioning system [GPS]), actually have a link to, or are derived from, military innovations. Artificial intelligence (AI) is one arena of present generation technology that militaries have been developing mainly for two purposes: first, for juxtaposing it on their existing defence architecture for its performance enhancement; and second, for developing new types of militarily instruments and weapon systems. The research and development to advance new lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS) has been bearing good results and a few such systems have already been fully operationalised. It is expected that ongoing advancements in LAWS is likely to establish a different context for their military applicability. This article discusses various aspects of autonomous and lethal autonomous weapon systems.