
Ex-Google worker fears 'killer robots' could cause mass atrocities - hhs
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/sep/15/ex-google-worker-fears-killer-robots-cause-mass-atrocities
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SamReidHughes
A big problem here is that, in the future, you won't be able to defeat
autonomous warfare with human controlled warfare. So everybody needs to
develop their autonomous warfare systems anyway, even if a treaty says they
won't use it.

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neilv
An earlier dramatization video:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlO2gcs1YvM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlO2gcs1YvM)

It comes across to me as a bit over-the-top and alarmist, but, if I consider
what I know of technology and (less) history, such events and dynamics seem
plausible.

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acqq
Robocop, by Paul Verhoeven, 1987:

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TstteJ1eIZg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TstteJ1eIZg)

"It's only a glitch."

But back to present time, the link from the parent video:

[https://autonomousweapons.org/](https://autonomousweapons.org/)

"Ban Lethal Autonomous Weapons"

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SamReidHughes
It's only a matter of time before this happens. I'm not so worried about
automatic tanks and gunboats as I am drone swarms identifying and
exterminating a population in detail. Surviving a round of autonomous warfare
is the number one reason to get off this planet, or hole up in a desert a
hundred miles from an above-ground transmission line.

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m463
The movie "Angel Has Fallen" has a drone swarm scene. (I won't say more, no
spoilers, but it is totally possible with current technology)

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blueboo
As always with these fears, you can substitute with nuclear weapons, guns,
bronze weapons..

though

> The machine doesn’t have the discernment or common sense that the human
> touch has.

Discernment or common sense has proven no barrier to atrocity...

(also Google worker = contractor)

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melenaboija
It feels awkward seeing humanity working towards what we think is progress and
in parallel always seeing someone using this knowledge as a threaten for human
life to gain power.

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copperx
Yes, but it has been like that for thousands of years. We should be used to it
by now.

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gjvc
Yes, but the fear is that the curve of threat against time is exponential.

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andrerm
> The machine doesn’t have the discernment or common sense that the human
> touch has.

July 12, 2007, Baghdad airstrike
([https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_12,_2007,_Baghdad_airst...](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_12,_2007,_Baghdad_airstrike))

Edit: add title to link

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cafard
Indeed. Or look at the pictures of cities that had been bombed, or better
still, fought through, during WW II.

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jmpman
If killer robots are “banned”, then defenses against killer robots won’t be
developed, and a country or other entity that decides to use killer robots,
will be capable of surprise attack that makes Pearl Harbor look like amateur
hour.

