Killer robots must be banned but 'window to act is closing fast', AI expert warns

Artificial intelligence experts are calling for a ban on "killer robots", and have warned that we need to move quickly. The Campaign to Stop Killer Robots has released a short film designed to demonstrate what could happen if machines that are capable of choosing who lives and who dies continue to be developed. In the video, autonomous weapons are used to carry out mass killings with frightening efficiency, while people struggle to work out how to combat them. It also depicts swarms of smart drones, which are equipped with explosives and use facial recognition, GPS, voting and social media data to establish and pursue targets. "[Artificial intelligence's] potential to benefit humanity is enormous, even in defense," says Stuart Russell, a professor of computer science at the University of Berkeley, at the end of the film.