The Future of War: Autonomous AI and the Threat of 'Killer Robots' - Report

As artificial intelligence (AI) advancements -- including cutting-edge robotics and silicon-based image recognition technology -- have now pushed the once-fantastic idea of'killer robots' onto the global stage, modern autonomous war machines that fire live ammo could soon seek and destroy battlefield combatants, leading many to wonder if there is an'off' switch. Among other nations, China and the US are working to make advancements in artificial intelligence, machine image recognition and semi-autonomous robotics to be used in combination with sensors and targeting computers, according to a New York Post published Thursday. Britain and Israel are currently using missiles and drones with autonomous features; such weapons can attack enemy radar, vehicles or ships without human commands. Technology for weapon systems to autonomously identify and destroy targets has existed for several decades. In the 1980s and 90s, Harpoon and Tomahawk missiles, which could identify targets autonomously, were developed by US war planners.