Fully autonomous weapons
Fully autonomous weapons, also referred to as ‘lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS)’ or ‘killer robots’ are an alarming prospect for society and humanity. Fully autonomous weapons will use artificial intelligence (AI to select targets and choose if and when to attack with force, independent of any human in the decision making process. We are already seeing increasingly autonomous weapons being developed. Killer Robots are not a thing of future and sci-fi, but a threat the international community must address with urgency. AI experts, the security community, the public and many countries across the globe have all voiced their concerns. Now is the time for a preemptive ban before these weapons are developed and deployed. The moral, ethical, legal and security challenges these weapons pose, when we delegate the decision to take human life to a machine, require urgent and decisive action from the international community. As you may have read on our blog, SafeGround Inc became a member of the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots in January 2019. The campaign is a global coalition of over 160 NGOs in 65 countries working to see an international treaty supported by all.
Scroll for more info on the International Progress on this issue and Australia’s position.
Also check out stopkillerrobots.org
A Growing Concern
Take Action!
Across the globe people are taking action to Stop Killer Robots – find out more here
Take a moment to SIGN THE PETITION and share our action “Escape the Scan” on Social Media
Don’t forget to tag us and follow our accounts. Engaging with our social media and stay tuned for ways you can help us raise the profile of this issue among your friends, networks and politicians. Scroll down to our events section to see if we have any upcoming events near you, or access recordings of past events!
UNI STUDENTS: We also have a special page just for you to learn more about university involvement with autonomous weapons and how you can Make A Change.
For anyone, writing to your local MP/Foreign Minister Marise Payne is a great help as we try to encourage some political scrutiny on this issue!
Get Involved
Sign up to our mailing list for all our most important updates!
If your organisation is interested in becoming a member please contact byrne.matilda.j@gmail.com
For more information on the campaign please visit the global website: stopkillerrobots.org
REPORT | Australia Out of the Loop
why we must not delegate decision making in warfare from man to machine
In leading the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots effort in Australia, SafeGround is proud to present our report (September 2020) positioning this important issue in our national context.
The report is the first of its kind to delve into fully autonomous weapons across multiple dimensions and diverse sectors of society from an Australian perspective.
The report illustrates how Australia is “out of the loop” on this issue of keeping humans “in the loop” and maintaining meaningful human control over the use of lethal force. It advocates for policy change in Australia, to see our country support the calls to ban these abhorrent weapons.
You can watch our recoding of the launch HERE
International Progress
The international community is yet to launch negotiations for a treaty to ban fully autonomous weapons. We need bold and decisive action to address the concerns these weapons pose. Maintaining meaningful human control over the use of lethal force must be a priority, The adoption of a prohibition treaty reached by the governments of the world is the first crucial step.
The global momentum towards a ban is building, but there are still many obstacles. In November 2018, United Nations Secretary General stated ‘machines that have the power and the discretion to take human lives are politically unacceptable, are morally repugnant, and should be banned by international law’. The Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) has met seven times to discuss lethal autonomous weapons systems with the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) formed to tackle the issue. The GGE meeting in March 25-29 2019, showed disagreement regarding the ‘best options for future work’ leaving the group’s progress at a stand-still. A majority of states support a legally binding instrument including the Non-Aligned Movement (a grouping of 120 countries) as well as the 29 who have explicitly called for a ban. We need to see a mandate to negotiate a ban treaty, but some suggest a political declaration is a more appropriate way forward. Only a minority of states opposed some kind of new legal instrument and you can read more on this in the following blog post.
COVID 19 has disrupted international talks on this issue throughout 2020, with the GGE meetings delayed and uncertain. It is unlikely the GGE will reach an outcome bold enough to properly address the challenges that fully autonomous weapons pose.
Australia’s Position
The Australian government, not only oppose a ban on lethal autonomous weapons systems, they are one of the few states that see no need for any kind of new legal instrument. They have suggested existing international humanitarian law can be applied to these weapons systems, however, it is insufficient in addressing the unique challenges posed by the nature of this technology and further legal clarity is needed.
Australia should demonstrate moral leadership by supporting a ban which seeks to maintain meaningful human control over the selection of targets and use of lethal force. Its weak and unambitious stance is disappointing and irresponsible.
An open letter signed by 122 AI experts working in Australia was delivered to the Prime Minister in 2017. It urged the government to support the international process toward prohibition and take on a position of leadership. The Foreign Minister’s response stated it is ‘premature to support a ban’, which has been the government’s longstanding position. The Australian Department of Defence and Defence Forces have been intentionally vague on human control in these types of weapons systems. The Australian government has allotted funding to a research project on embedding ethics into autonomous weapons, which fails to recognise the array of concerns the weapons pose. The 2020 Defence Strategic Update also suggests Australia is embarking on a path towards these weapons, which is highly alarming (read more here). Australia must commit to never developing or deploying fully autonomous weapons and join other countries in supporting the negotiation of a ban.
Upcoming Events
Check back for any upcoming digital or in-person events
Latest
Our latest webinar took place in September as part of the Raising Peace Festival – “The Urgent Need for a Killer Robot Ban”
The event discusses the issue of autonomous weapons – dangers and concerns, current international progress, the Australian position and what to expect in the upcoming period.
Presenters: Matilda Byrne National Coordinator Australia Stop Killer Robots
Toby Walsh AI Professor UNSW Sydney
Natasha Karner Phd Candidate and emerging international security researcher RMIT University
Past Events
DIGITAL EVENTS
The Urgent Need for a Killer Robot Ban (Raising Peace Festival), Sep 2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6R-mTGtY9WI&t=5s
REPORT LAUNCH: Australia Out of the Loop Aug 27 7:30
SafeGround launched our new report Australia Out of the Loop via webinar (above or at this link)
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1240073242999622&extid=RgdcSfqVUNd7sW0b
Killer Robots, University and Youth Live Discussion, 25th Aug 4pm
Insta Live QandA about university involvement in development of killer robots, and youth activism
QandA with Professor Toby Walsh
Access the link to watch our InstaChat with AI Professor Toby Walsh
PAST EVENTS (IN-PERSON)
Killer Robots: Not Just Sci-Fi – 3 March 2020 [ADELAIDE]
Panel discussion at ThincLab University of Adelaide featuring Matilda Byrne, TytoAI CEO and co-founder of AI Collaborative Network Nick Lothian and ‘defence state’ observer and Quaker Peri Coleman.
STOP KILLER ROBOTS Action, Parliament House, Feb 2020 [CANBERRA]
Campaign Roundtable
Responsible AI Melbourne spotlight on Autonomous Weapons – 28 October 2019 [MELBOURNE]
Join us for a panel brought to you in conjunction with Responsible AI Melbourne, that looks at fully autonomous weapons and the legal, moral and ethical challenges they raise, and how they affect the tech sector, developers and research. Event details: https://www.facebook.com/events/559449994860860/
Campaign Roundtable – 26 August 2019 [MELBOURNE]
Inquire about joining us for a briefing and discussion of the campaign’s development if you are an interested individual or from a group/organisation/company who shares our concerns.
IPAN National Conference – Australia at a Crossroads, 2-4 August 2019 [DARWIN]
As a Stop Killer Robots member, IPAN’s national conference includes a workshop on the issue of auontomous weapons and the campaign as part of their programme regarding an independent and peaceful foreign policy for Australia,
Is Now the Time to Ban Lethal Autonomous Weapons? – 17 April 2019 [Sydney]
Our national campaign coordinator Matilda Byrne, joined by AI expert Professor Toby Walsh and political philosopher Dr Jessica Whyte for a panel co-hosted by UNSW Grand Challenges in the 21st Century. See below some highlights from the discussion.
https://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/business-law/controlling-killer%C2%A0robots-how-do-we-do-it
Action and Campaign Brainstorm, Saturday 16 March 2pm [MELBOURNE]
A photo stunt and idea-sharing session in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD