Worry less about the march of the robots, more about techno panic Kenan Malik

After initially performing routine cleaning tasks, the robot, using facial recognition, identifies the finance minister. It approaches her and detonates a concealed bomb. That's one of the scenarios sketched out in a new report called The Malicious Use of Artificial Intelligence. Produced by 26 researchers from universities, thinktanks and campaigning organisations in Europe and the US, it is the latest in a series of studies warning of the dangers of AI. "The development of full artificial intelligence", Stephen Hawking has claimed, "could spell the end of the human race." Elon Musk, the billionaire founder and chief executive of SpaceX and Tesla, has suggested that "we are summoning the demon".