Debate on Killer Robots Rages , as Robotics Companies Partner , with Police and Military.
TechCrunch reports that the concept of 'killer robots' has leaped from the pages of science fiction to reality.
.
The topic is being debated as the possibility of robots joining the ranks of domestic law enforcement.
In 2019, Boston Dynamics raised red flags when it showcased its Spot robot deployed alongside Massachusetts State Police in training exercises.
While the robots in the drills were unarmed, the use of robots in a situation where lives are at risk was enough to prompt an inquiry by the ACLU.
In 2020, a similar situation arose in New York, which saw a partnership between the NYPD and Boston Dynamics.
In 2020, a similar situation arose in New York, which saw a partnership between the NYPD and Boston Dynamics.
Boston Dynamics has vehemently opposed the weaponization of robots, signing an open letter with with several other leading robotics firms. Boston Dynamics has vehemently opposed the weaponization of robots, signing an open letter with with several other leading robotics firms. We believe that adding weapons to robots that are remotely or autonomously operated, widely available to the public, and capable of navigating to previously inaccessible locations where people live and work, raises new risks of harm and serious ethical issues.
, Open letter on the weaponization of robots, via TechCrunch.
Weaponized applications of these newly-capable robots will also harm public trust in the technology in ways that damage the tremendous benefits they will bring to society, Open letter on the weaponization of robots, via TechCrunch.
According to TechCrunch, the open letter was largely seen as a response to Ghost Robotics' partnership with the U.S. military.
