The exponential growth of artificial intelligence and robotics continues to generate ethical dilemmas. The largest Russian defense manufacturing company, Kalashnikov, confirmed it is developing autonomous weapons, and the UN demands a code of conduct for robot soldiers.

The international community analyzed alternatives for lethal autonomous weapon systems (sometimes described as “killer robots”), which are capable of operating without human instructions.

“The pros and cons were analyzed, and a number of political options were discussed, which include adopting a politically binding declaration, and continuous revision mechanism of the technology, and a legally binding instrument”, said India’s ambassador during the UN Disarmament Conference, Amandeep Gill.

The Indian diplomat leads the Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems, which gathered on November 13 to 17 in Genève to formally address for the first time in the UN the challenges and ethical, technical, legal, and military implications of the so called “killer robots”.

The meeting gathered some of the 125 States members of the Convention, as well as representatives of international organizations, the industry and civil society, NGOs, and the academy.

Gill explained that conclusions and recommendations shall come up from this debate and, if there is consensus, the call for a longer, two weeks meeting on 2018, on “killer robots”.

There currently is a lot of confusion about this concept and there are no records about the existence of “killer robots”.

According to specialists, the advances in the area of artificial intelligence shall enable the creation of weapons, such as drones, capable of working on their own in the battlefield and of making their own decisions, without human instructions.

Around 20 countries have already demanded the prohibition of these systems, while human rights activists warn that at least six countries are investing on this kind of technology.

Gill attempted to give a reassuring message to society, by stating that the “good news” is that robots are not taking over the control of the world”.

“Humans are still in charge, and will remain in charge, and we shall make sure this continues to be the situation”, he said.

During the next meeting, the diplomat’s goal is to address the issue of “human-machine interface”, which refers to the interaction of the person and a computer program and that, in the case of killer robots, it may mean to remain having control on them or not, and stop them or withdraw them from the battlefield.