On June 6, 2019 a kick-off meeting was held at CEU in Budapest organized by CELAB and activists of the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots – Hungary, to raise awareness on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS) or killer robots.
Machines have begun to take the place of humans on the battlefield. Some military and robotics experts have predicted that fully autonomous weapons could be developed in the coming years. Such weapons, also known as killer robots, would be able to select and engage targets without human intervention. Their use could undermine the protection of civilians in armed conflict.
The seminar is aimed at sharing knowledge on fully autonomous weapons prompt conversations among scientists, AI and robotics experts, tech companies, students and civil society to promote a national and international ban on LAWS.
To date, Hungarian state policy on autonomous weapons is unknown despite strong opposition in Hungary: a recent survey conducted by IPSOS in 26 countries found that 74% oppose the development and use of autonomous weapons.
The Campaign to Stop Killer Robots calls on the government to preemptively ban the development, production, buying and use of fully autonomous weapons, or killer robots, and participate actively on CCW meetings in Geneva as well as articulate their views on the concerns raised by fully autonomous weapons;
After years of voicing concerns, AI leaders have, for the first time, taken concrete action against lethal autonomous weapons, signing a pledge to “neither participate in nor support the development, manufacture, trade, or use of lethal autonomous weapons.”
Activists of the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots – Hungary calls on AI and robotic experts, academic allies and all technological companies to pledge never to contribute to the development of fully autonomous weapons or other technologies whose principal purpose is to cause harm or directly facilitate injury to people;
Sign petition here: https://futureoflife.org/lethal-autonomous-weapons-pledge/
“We do not have long to act. Once this Pandora’s box is opened, it will be hard to close”
The Campaign to Stop Killer Robots is an international coalition of more than 106 non-governmental organisations in more than 54 countries. The campaign was formed in October 2012 and is working to ban fully autonomous weapons and thereby retain meaningful human control over the use of force. www.stopkillerrobots.org
More information: Dalma Bíró, activist, campaign coordinator in Hungary, +36 30 822 1127
Budapest, June 6, 2019
Activists of the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots – Hungary
