Pentagon hires British scientist to help build robot soldiers that 'won't commit war crimes'

Well, since we're so smart now that we can build robots to kill people "fairly," maybe we should put all that brainpower to better use and find ways to eliminate wars. Like for instance, we could start by doing psychological testing on powerful people. People found to be ethically challenged would be forced out of power: corporate, government, military. I bet we even have the scientific chops to do this right now.

But that would be silly. There's no money in it. - Ed.

Via: Telegraph:

The American military is planning to build robot soldiers that will not be able to commit war crimes like their human comrades in arms.

The US Army and Navy have both hired experts in the ethics of building machines to prevent the creation of an amoral Terminator-style killing machine that murders indiscriminately.

By 2010 the US will have invested $4 billion in a research programme into “autonomous systems”, the military jargon for robots, on the basis that they would not succumb to fear or the desire for vengeance that afflicts frontline soldiers.

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