But the time for robot warriors is now. Humanoid robots called Mk-1 Phantom are being deployed to Ukraine for testing in a war zone. No, they don't look like Arnold Schwarzenegger or even Robert Patrick, but they are trying to develop a robot that can handle any weapon that humans use. Or drive vehicles.
Like all new technology, there are upsides and downsides. I'd rather have robots "dying" in war zones than humans. But what if robots are used in attacks on civilians? You don't have to promise a robot 72 virgins to get it to blow itself up around people.
(Actually, this is already happening as drones, essentially dumb robots, are being used to attack civilians.)
I don't think robots on their own are going to rebel and turn on humans as in the Terminator movies. But once a tool is developed, it can be used against you. It depends on who is programing the robots.
Isaac Asimov in the late 1940s wrote three laws of robotics (inventing the word "robotics"). Those laws were logical and I think would work for most robots:
1 A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm;
2 A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law; and
3 A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.
But a robot warrior would already violate the first law.
What do you think of robots being used in war? Good idea or terrible idea? Let me know in the comments below.
The above photo is being used under Section 107 of the Copyright Act: fair usage.
