First U.N. talks on rules for 'killer robots' end amid calls for faster action

GENEVA – "Robots are not taking over the world," the diplomat leading the first official talks on autonomous weapons assured the meeting Friday, seeking to ease criticism over slow progress toward restricting the use of "killer robots." The United Nations was wrapping up an initial five days of discussions on weapons systems that can identify and destroy targets without human control. Experts say such weapons will soon be ready for battle. The meeting of the U.N.'s Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) marked an initial step toward rules governing such weapons. But activists warned that time is running out and that the glacial pace of the U.N.-brokered discussions is not responding to an arms race already underway.