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The Ethics of Autonomous Weapons Systems

Explore legal, ethical, and humanitarian concerns surrounding autonomous weapons. Review compliance with international law, discuss human control, and delve into future implications. Contact: ggiacca@icrc.org

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The Ethics of Autonomous Weapons Systems

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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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