INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
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The Campaign to Stop Killer Robots meets at the UN next week
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".Prof Noel Sharkey, who heads the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, was one of the first to sign the letter and welcomed the
university's response."We received a letter from the president of Kaist making it clear that they would not help in the development of
autonomous weapons systems."The signatories of the letter will need a little time to discuss the relationship between Kaist and Hanwha
before lifting the boycott," he added.Until the boycott is lifted, academics will refuse to collaborate with any part of Kaist.Next week in
Geneva, 123 member nations of the UN will discuss the challenges posed by lethal autonomous weapons, or killer robots, with 22 of these
nations calling for an outright ban on such weapons."At a time when the United Nations is discussing how to contain the threat posed to
international security by autonomous weapons, it is regrettable that a prestigious institution like Kaist looks to accelerate the arms race
to develop such weapons," read the letter sent to Kaist, announcing the boycott."If developed, autonomous weapons will be the third
They will permit war to be fought faster and at a scale greater than ever before
They have the potential to be weapons of terror
"Despots and terrorists could use them against innocent populations, removing any ethical restraints
This Pandora's box will be hard to close if it is opened."South Korea already has an army of robots patrolling the border with North Korea
The Samsung SGR-A1 carries a machine gun that can be switched to autonomous mode but is, at present, operated by humans via camera links
