Lethal Autonomous Robots and the plight of the non-combatant

One of the most controversial aspects of the rise of intelligent machines is the development of what are known as ‘lethal autonomous systems’ and what they will mean for the way wars are fought. Initial discussions in the UN in recent years have focused on the need to retain someform of human control, as well as considering the potential risks and benefits.

Roboticist and robot ethics expert Ron Arkin has worked extensively on the military applications of robots. In his work, he asks difficult questions about how scientists can reduce human inhumanity to others. Join him to find out more about the big questions: Should robots be soldiers? Can they make war safer for civilians?

About Ronald C. Arkin
Ronald C. Arkin is a world-leading researcher in robotics and robot ethics. He is Regents' Professor and the Director of the Mobile Robot Laboratory at the Georgia Institute of Technology.  Dr. Arkin is currently a visiting Fellow/Scientist at QUT and the CSIRO Robotics and Autonomous Systems Group, Queensland Centre for Advanced Technologies.
His has published extensively on different topics in robotics and his research interests also include human-robot interaction, robot ethics, and learning in autonomous systems. His books include Governing Lethal Behavior in Autonomous Robots and he is the Series Editor for the MIT Press book series Intelligent Robotics and Autonomous Agents. For many years has been a distinguished contributor to professional bodies in robotics, robot ethics and the social implications of technology.

About Toby Walsh
Toby Walsh is a leading researcher in Artificial Intelligence. He was named by the Australian newspaper as a "rock star" of Australia's digital revolution. He is Scientia Professor of Artificial Intelligence at UNSW, leads the Algorithmic Decision Theory group at Data61, Australia's Centre of Excellence for ICT Research, and is Guest Professor at TU Berlin.
He has written several books about Artifical Intelligence for a general audience and the latest - 2062: The World that AI Made - will be published later this year.He regularly appears in the media talking and writing about the impact of AI and robotics and is passionate that limits are placed on AI to ensure the public good. He has played a leading role at the UN and elsewhere on the campaign to ban lethal autonomous weapons (aka "killer robots").