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The UN and Autonomous Weapons Systems
target="_blank">The UN and Autonomous Weapons Systems: A Missed Opportunity?
by Liran Antebi, INSS
After years of
focusing on the legality of targeted assassinations with
attack-enhanced remotely-operated UAVs, UN circles came to
the realization that the development of lethal autonomous
weapons systems (LAWS), which choose their targets without
human involvement, is already well underway and may prove to
be a profound global challenge. Meanwhile, the human
rights-based initiative against lethal autonomous weapons
systems is gathering momentum because the systems are armed
and present the danger that innocent bystanders will be
harmed at any time and in any place – though not
necessarily because these systems are automated. While
protection of human rights in areas of conflict is a very
important but relatively limited interest, the threat
emanating from the uncontrolled development of autonomous
systems in general is liable to challenge much greater
numbers of people, if not humanity overall. Therefore,
continued action by the UN that is informed only by the
agenda of human rights organizations may well lead to
unnecessary complexities, if not lasting tragedy.
ends
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