Drones choosing targets and killing without human interference would result in 'extermination'

Weapons of war have evolved over time, but the decision to kill has always been left with humans. But with developing AI and autonomous technology, it is now possible to build killing machines that require no human input at all. Taking the final decision away from a human raises serious ethical concerns over the use of fully-autonomous weapons. It could mean wars will be less about fighting, and more extermination. In an article for The Conversation, Dr Peter Lee, Director for Security and Risk Research and Innovation at the University of Portsmouth explains the potential devastation these machines could cause.