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Autonomous Weapons Systems Dr Gilles Giacca Arms Unit, ICRC Legal Division

Autonomous Weapons Systems Dr Gilles Giacca Arms Unit, ICRC Legal Division. Definitions and terminology. lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS), fully autonomous weapon systems, killer robots, etc. no international agreed definitions. Autonomous weapon systems.

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Autonomous Weapons Systems Dr Gilles Giacca Arms Unit, ICRC Legal Division

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  1. Autonomous Weapons Systems Dr Gilles Giacca Arms Unit, ICRC Legal Division

  2. Definitions and terminology • lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS), fully autonomous weapon systems, killer robots, etc. • no international agreed definitions

  3. Autonomous weapon systems • Independently search for, identify, and attack targets • Autonomous functions of identifying, tracking, selecting and attacking targets, i.e. ‘critical functions’ • Concern is loss of human controlover use of force • Compliance with international humanitarian law (IHL) • Ethical concerns • What is meaningful or adequate human control?

  4. Air defence weapons • Fixed on ships, ground installations, vehicles. • Targets: rockets, mortars, missiles, aircraft, drones, boats. • Autonomous modes for identifying, tracking, selecting and attackingtargets.

  5. Loitering munitions and certain missiles • Targets: humans, vehicles, aircraft, objects. • Launched by a human operator. • Then autonomousidentifying, tracking selecting and attacking targets.

  6. Armed drones? • Targets: humans, vehicles, aircraft, objects. • Autonomousidentifying and tracking of targets? • Remote controlled selecting and attacking targets. • Autonomous attack in the future?

  7. Anti-personnel ‘sentry’ weapons • Targets: humans. • Autonomous modes for identifying, tracking and selecting targets. • Remote controlled or autonomous for attacking targets.

  8. Mobile ground weapon systems? • Targets: humans, vehicles, aircraft, objects. • Autonomousidentifying and tracking of targets? • Remote controlled selecting and attacking targets. • Autonomous attack in the future?

  9. Mobile surface water and underwater weapon systems • Targets: humans, boats, submarines. • Surface: Remote controlled selecting and attacking targets. Autonomous in the future? • Underwater: Human launch. Then autonomousidentifying, tracking, selecting and attacking targets.

  10. Legal questions • Legal review of new weapons (Article 36 API) • Realistic assessment of weapon and intended use • Are there any doubts about IHL compliance • Distinction? • Proportionality? • Precautions in attack? • Accountability? • Human control and judgement implicit in IHL? • Predictability and reliability?

  11. Ethical concerns • Principles of humanity and dictates of public conscience (Martens Clause) • Can we allow machines to make life and death decisions? • Does it matter how you die? (Human dignity) • Who is responsible?

  12. Future international discussions CCW, three informal meetings of experts on “lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS)” - April 2014, - April 2015 - April 2016 A proposal to establish a Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) for future work in 2017/18 will be considered at the Review Conference in 12-16 December 2016.

  13. Future international discussions • Meaningful, effective and adequate human control should be maintained. • Common understanding needed of the characteristics of an autonomous weapon system. • Examine autonomy in “critical functions” of existing and emerging weapon systems. • Use to develop deeper understanding of legal and ethical questions. • Setting limits on autonomy?

  14. Thank you! Contact: ggiacca@icrc.org

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