“Killer robots”: Hawking, masks and Wozniak vs. autonomous weapons – BFM.Ru

Famous scientists signed an open letter warning people about the dangers of artificial intelligence. They particularly fear the creation of autonomous weapons, which became a reality thanks to the development of robotics

Photo: EPA / TASS

Businessmen and scientists called for a ban autonomous weapons. According to Stephen Hawking, Elon Musk, Steve Wozniak, and more than a thousand other experts in the field of artificial intelligence, prevention of an arms race of autonomous today is the main task of mankind. See also: combat robots will create a new type for Vladimir

The letter explained: “The armed quadrocopter, who himself is looking for a goal – it is a stand-alone weapon, and a cruise missile – not because of her decision to accept the person. ” Open Letter to ban such weapons was submitted to the Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Buenos Aires. According to scientists, if you do not address this issue at the international level, there will be a “third revolution of arms” after gunpowder and nuclear.

The pros and cons of autonomous weapons is a lot of arguments. For example, on the one hand, they will reduce casualties among the soldiers, on the other – to drastically reduce the costs of war. Start or prevent the global arms race with artificial intelligence? This is a key question for mankind today. If any global player will start the development of such weapons, the race will be almost inevitable, leading to the obvious consequences: the autonomous weapons become “Kalashnikovs” of the future. Unlike nuclear weapons, for their production will not require scarce resources and large-scale industrial complexes. All significant military players can not start too costly mass production of autonomous weapons. It was only a matter of time – when they appear on the black market, and fall into the hands of terrorists and dictators.

The Revolution of autonomous weapons could happen soon. According to the authors of the letter, modern technology will be put into operation a weapon based on artificial intelligence in the next few years. In their assessment does not agree Fellow at the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies Andrei Frolov.

Andrei Frolov

Fellow at the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies

However, there are Russian experts who expressed in support of the open letter. No need to draw antiutopian paintings based on the “Terminator”: catastrophic failures can be much more prosaic, CEO says “Corporations Robots” Igor Nikitin.

Igor Nikitin

CEO “Corporation Robots»

Earlier this topic have expressed known scientists. According to Stephen Hawking, the development of autonomous offensive weapons could lead to the destruction of humanity. Professor at the University of New South Wales Toby Walsh called on today to take a decision on the future of the Earth’s inhabitants and autonomous weapons ban.

In April, adopted on the basis of artificial intelligence was discussed at a UN conference in Geneva. Then, in spite of the appeals against the ban on the development made Britain.