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posted by janrinok on Friday April 06 2018, @05:14AM   Printer-friendly
from the not-with-my-work dept.

South Korean university boycotted over 'killer robots'

Leading AI experts have boycotted a South Korean university over a partnership with weapons manufacturer Hanwha Systems. More than 50 AI researchers from 30 countries signed a letter expressing concern about its plans to develop artificial intelligence for weapons. In response, the university said it would not be developing "autonomous lethal weapons". The boycott comes ahead of a UN meeting to discuss killer robots.

Shin Sung-chul, president of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (Kaist), said: "I reaffirm once again that Kaist will not conduct any research activities counter to human dignity including autonomous weapons lacking meaningful human control. Kaist is significantly aware of ethical concerns in the application of all technologies including artificial intelligence." He went on to explain that the university's project was centred on developing algorithms for "efficient logistical systems, unmanned navigation and aviation training systems".

Also at The Guardian and CNN.

Related: U.N. Starts Discussion on Lethal Autonomous Robots
UK Opposes "Killer Robot" Ban


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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 06 2018, @05:26AM (5 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 06 2018, @05:26AM (#663277)

    If they don't, someone else would.
    You already have autonomous cars that recognize pedestrians, so its not a farfetched idea to install a gun and train it on the same pedestrians.

  • (Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 06 2018, @05:52AM (4 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 06 2018, @05:52AM (#663281)

    If they don't, someone else would.

    Is that an argument on the line of "If you don't go shooting kids in a US school, someone else would"?
    Yes, we know school shooting will still happen in US.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 06 2018, @06:25AM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 06 2018, @06:25AM (#663294)

      Yes, unless you want to claim credit for it that is. /me shrugs some more.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 06 2018, @06:46AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 06 2018, @06:46AM (#663304)

        Ah, gotta just love chatting with myself. A dialogue between two AC-alike minds.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 06 2018, @11:24AM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 06 2018, @11:24AM (#663373)

      Is that an argument on the line of "If you don't go shooting kids in a US school, someone else would"?

      Not exactly. By shooting kids in a US school, you don't reduce the probability of others doing so. But by taking a job at weapons research, someone else cannot get that job any more. Also, the result of shooting kids in US schools is always the same: Dead kids. But the result of research depends very much on the researcher, therefore it matters who does the research.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 06 2018, @02:33PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 06 2018, @02:33PM (#663428)

        Not exactly. By shooting kids in a US school, you don't reduce the probability of others doing so.

        What's the fun in repeating the massacre at Columbine?