Risks and realities of killer robots
In recent conflicts—India's Operation Sindoor, Azerbaijan's use of Turkish drones against Armenian forces, and Ukraine's deep drone strikes into Russian territory— all offensive systems remained human-operated. Humans directed target selection, authorisation and engagement. But now, as the global defence landscape shifts toward lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS), Asimov's warning grows more relevant. Unlike the author's fictional robot Speedy, these systems will not hesitate when ethical ambiguities arise. They will not wait for human correction. They will act without the possibility of a moral pause.
LAWS are weapons that can select, track, and engage targets without real-time human control. LAWS rely on AI, sensor fusion, and machine learning algorithms to make independent targeting decisions. This autonomy dramatically accelerates response time and expands operational reach, but at significant ethical and legal cost. The development of LAWS is already underway in multiple countries.
The US, China, Russia, Israel and South Korea have invested heavily in autonomous platforms ranging from loitering munitions to swarming drones and autonomous ground systems. The US military has demonstrated autonomous swarms in exercises like Project Convergence; China is integrating AI into hypersonic systems and naval platforms; and Russia has tested autonomous tanks like Uran-9. Although fully autonomous systems capable of making unsupervised kill decisions are not yet officially deployed, the technological threshold is narrowing.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
25 minutes ago
- Time of India
Pak Foreign Minister Dar meets Chinese President Xi Jinping; reaffirms commitment to strengthen bilateral ties
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday reaffirmed Islamabad's commitment to deepening its "enduring friendship" with China and advancing shared regional goals as he called on Chinese President Xi Jinping along with other Foreign Ministers of the SCO member states in Beijing. Dar, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, was among the foreign ministers and heads of standing bodies of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) whom Xi met ahead of their meeting in the Chinese city of Tianjin. In a post on X, Dar said he was "delighted" to meet President Xi at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing and "conveyed the warm greetings of the leadership, government, and people of Pakistan". by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Senior Living Homes in Hathazari May Surprise You Senior Living | Search Ads Undo "As iron-clad brothers and All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partners, we remain committed to deepening Pak-China enduring friendship and advancing shared regional goals," Dar said. Dar also met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov amid efforts by Pakistan to warm up to Moscow. Live Events Both sides expressed satisfaction over the positive trajectory of bilateral ties and agreed to further enhance cooperation in trade, energy, agriculture, and defence, he said and reiterated the invitation for Lavrov to visit Pakistan. He also met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of the SCO meeting . Both leaders reviewed bilateral cooperation across diverse areas and discussed the evolving regional situation following the recent Israeli aggression against Iran, he said in a post X. He reaffirmed Pakistan's unwavering solidarity with the people and Government of Iran, reiterating Islamabad's commitment to regional peace and stability, emphasising that dialogue & diplomacy remain the only viable path to de-escalation and lasting peace. He said he also met his Kazakh counterpart Murat Nurtleu. "We reaffirmed our resolve to deepen Pak-Kazakh bilateral ties and to expand collaboration across regional and multilateral fora," he said. The SCO comprises 10 member states namely China, Russia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus. China currently holds the rotating presidency of the SCO. The Chinese president welcomed the heads of delegations and underlined the "salience of regional cooperation" under the ambit of the SCO, Pakistan's Foreign Office said in a post on X. Dar arrived in Tianjin along with other foreign ministers to lead Pakistan's delegation to the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers' meeting. Dar also held separate meetings with his counterparts from Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus, focusing on enhancing cooperation in areas of mutual interest. "Always good to exchange views for strengthening regional understanding and cooperation in such a challenging time," he posted on X.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
Trump asks Zelenskyy if Ukraine can strike Moscow with US weapons
By Natalia Drozdiak and Josh Wingrove Donald Trump asked Volodymyr Zelenskiy whether Ukraine could strike Moscow, an inquiry that the White House says was merely a question but one that came hours after he voiced frustration at Russian President Vladimir Putin's refusal to accept a ceasefire in the war. During a July 4 phone call with the Ukrainian president, Trump quizzed Zelenskiy about whether Ukraine could hit the Russian capital and St. Petersburg if given US long-range weapons, according to a person briefed about the conversation. Zelenskiy replied that it could if the US provided the weapons, the person said. Asked about the details of the call, which were first reported by The Financial Times, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said: 'President Trump was merely asking a question, not encouraging further killing. He's working tirelessly to stop the killing and end this war.' The conversation took place a day after Trump said he was 'very disappointed' by a phone call with Putin, in which the Russian leader insisted he wouldn't back down on his war aims. Ukraine has successfully targeted Moscow with drones in the past, but the long-range missiles provided by its western allies so far have lacked the capabilities to reach the city. Details of the discussion emerged a day after Trump pledged fresh weapons supplies to Kyiv that would be paid for by NATO allies, mainly from Europe, and threatened harsh financial penalties targeting Russian oil sales if Putin doesn't end the war on Ukraine within 50 days. Oil declined for a second day as traders doubted Trump's plan would pose a meaningful obstacle to Moscow's energy exports. Global benchmark Brent fell beneath $69 a barrel after losing 1.6% on Monday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Tuesday said Trump's public comments were 'serious' and Russia needed time to analyze them, according to the Interfax news service. 'Any attempts to make demands — especially ultimatums — are unacceptable for us,' Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov also said Tuesday, the state-run Tass news service reported. Trump's move to raise pressure on Putin came after months of unsuccessful diplomacy aimed at persuading Russia to halt its war on Ukraine and negotiate a peace deal. Instead, Russia has intensified its drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities in recent weeks. Trump told the BBC in an interview Monday that he was 'disappointed' in Putin, but not 'done with him.' The US president didn't explain how the proposed 'secondary tariffs' would work, but he has used the term in the past to describe duties imposed on countries for trading with American adversaries. The threats echo punishment spelled out in a bipartisan bill in Congress that would impose 500% tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil and gas such as China and India. 'We're going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don't have a deal in 50 days, tariffs at about 100%,' Trump said during a meeting with North Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House on Monday. Matt Whitaker, the US ambassador to NATO, said the planned action effectively represents secondary sanctions on countries buying oil from Russia. 'It's about tariffs on countries like India and China that are buying their oil,' he told reporters. 'And it really is going to, I think, dramatically impact the Russian economy.' China criticized the US effort to pressure Beijing over its energy ties with Moscow. Chinese President Xi Jinping called for deeper engagement with Russia in a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday in Beijing. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said his country opposes 'long-arm jurisdiction.' Top-of-the-Line The comments mark the latest signal of Trump's growing impatience with Putin's refusal to end Moscow's war in Ukraine, which has dragged on since 2022. Yet, the arrangement risks Moscow continuing its barrage on the battlefield for weeks before it considers returning to talks. Putin has insisted he wants iron-clad assurances on resolving what he calls the root causes of the conflict, including by ending Ukraine's NATO ambitions and Western military support. Much of the defense materiel Kyiv will receive will depend on Europe's ability and willingness to make the purchases. Ukraine needs air-defense systems and drone interceptors as well as a constant supply of artillery shells and missiles. Trump said the US was sending a 'top-of-the-line weapons' package that includes Patriot air-defense batteries. 'We're not buying it, but we will manufacture it,' Trump said. Zelenskiy said Monday in a post on X that he'd spoken with Trump, who briefed him on his discussions with Rutte. 'We agreed to catch up more often by phone and coordinate our steps in the future as well,' he posted. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed Trump's announcement, adding that he 'assured him: Germany will decisively contribute.' Merz's government has suspended debt restrictions on defense spending both for the German army and military aid for Ukraine. Berlin is looking to finance the purchase of two Patriot batteries for Kyiv. Trump hailed Monday's announcement as a major shift in course, but the details of the decision also reflect Trump's priorities: It won't cost the US anything and Trump is not dedicating any new US funding to Ukraine, at least for now. The NATO chief said the bloc would coordinate among allies to fulfill Ukraine's military needs including air defense equipment, missiles and ammunition. Germany will play a major part, alongside Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, The Netherlands and Canada, according to Rutte. 'This is again Europeans stepping up,' Rutte said, adding that Putin should 'take negotiations about Ukraine more seriously.'
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
Nato chief warns India, China, Brazil of US sanctions over Russia ties
Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte warned that Brazil, China and India will face secondary sanctions from the US if Russia doesn't negotiate a peace deal with Ukraine, and said they should lean on President Vladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire. 'My encouragement to these three countries particularly is if you live now in Beijing or in Delhi, or you're the president of Brazil, you might want to take a look into this, because this might hit you very hard,' Rutte told reporters Tuesday. 'So please make the phone call to Vladimir Putin and tell him that he has to get serious about peace talks, because otherwise this will slam back on Brazil, on India and on China in a massive way,' he said. Rutte's remarks offered clarity about the potential outcome after President Donald Trump announced announced Monday that he was giving Putin 50 days to enter into peace talks with Ukraine or face what he called 'secondary tariffs' of 100 per cent as well as secondary sanctions. Those penalties target countries that do business with sanctioned nations. Trump didn't name Brazil, China or India but those are three countries that have continued to buy Russian oil and petroleum products in the years since Putin's forces invaded Ukraine in 2022. US Senators are pressing for a bill that calls for 500 per cent tariffs on countries doing business with Russia. 'We'll continue to push for SeNator Graham & my Russia Sanctions bill with even tougher penalties to deter India, China, Brazil & others from fueling Putin's war machine,' SeNator Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, wrote on X on Monday about his and SeNator Lindsey Graham's bill. 'Congressional action sends a powerful message of support.' Any such moves would complicate US talks with India and China. India is closing in on an agreement that would see 20% so-called reciprocal levies on the South Asian nation before a final deal is reached in the fall. US ties with China, meanwhile, appear on the upswing after the world's two largest economies reached a trade truce in May.
