As pervasive computing and specialized hardware become commonplace, the intersection of military technology and artificial intelligence has become a critical issue.
This is no longer science fiction but an engineering reality that threatens to fundamentally alter warfare. Recently, there has been an international push to regulate and prohibit lethal autonomous weapons. The United Nations Secretary-General has advocated for an international law prohibiting machines capable of selecting and engaging targets without human control.
While the moral imperative behind this initiative is entirely understandable, the realities of modern warfare and the nature of software development suggest otherwise. Banning technology that consists largely of algorithmic code and standard microprocessors is an exercise in futility.
Instead of attempting to outlaw the inevitable, the global defense community must focus on building stronger AI defenses to protect against rogue autonomous threats.
Let’s talk about killer robots (I swear too many people watched Terminator and said, “That looks fun, let’s make a killer robot!”). As always, we’ll close with my Product of the Week, the Google Pixel Watch 4, which I just picked up and love.
