The weaponization of artificial intelligence: What the public needs to be aware of
Technological progress has brought about the emergence of machines that have the capacity to take human lives without human control. These represent an unprecedented threat to humankind. This paper starts from the example of chemical weapons, now banned worldwide by the Geneva protocol, to illustrat...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-03-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frai.2023.1154184/full |
| _version_ | 1811158414185725952 |
|---|---|
| author | Birgitta Dresp-Langley |
| author_facet | Birgitta Dresp-Langley |
| author_sort | Birgitta Dresp-Langley |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Technological progress has brought about the emergence of machines that have the capacity to take human lives without human control. These represent an unprecedented threat to humankind. This paper starts from the example of chemical weapons, now banned worldwide by the Geneva protocol, to illustrate how technological development initially aimed at the benefit of humankind has, ultimately, produced what is now called the “Weaponization of Artificial Intelligence (AI)”. Autonomous Weapon Systems (AWS) fail the so-called discrimination principle, yet, the wider public is largely unaware of this problem. Given that ongoing scientific research on AWS, performed in the military sector, is generally not made available to the public domain, many of the viewpoints on this subject, expressed across different media, invoke common sense rather than scientific evidence. Yet, the implications of a potential weaponization of our work as scientists, especially in the field of AI, are reaching further than some may think. The potential consequences of a deployment of AWS for citizen stakeholders are incommensurable, and it is time to raise awareness in the public domain of the kind of potential threats identified, and to encourage legal policies ensuring that these threats will not materialize. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T05:24:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f94b070bd31e4dd2a0c162c8797a5a90 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2624-8212 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T05:24:16Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence |
| spelling | doaj.art-f94b070bd31e4dd2a0c162c8797a5a902023-03-08T05:16:10ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence2624-82122023-03-01610.3389/frai.2023.11541841154184The weaponization of artificial intelligence: What the public needs to be aware ofBirgitta Dresp-LangleyTechnological progress has brought about the emergence of machines that have the capacity to take human lives without human control. These represent an unprecedented threat to humankind. This paper starts from the example of chemical weapons, now banned worldwide by the Geneva protocol, to illustrate how technological development initially aimed at the benefit of humankind has, ultimately, produced what is now called the “Weaponization of Artificial Intelligence (AI)”. Autonomous Weapon Systems (AWS) fail the so-called discrimination principle, yet, the wider public is largely unaware of this problem. Given that ongoing scientific research on AWS, performed in the military sector, is generally not made available to the public domain, many of the viewpoints on this subject, expressed across different media, invoke common sense rather than scientific evidence. Yet, the implications of a potential weaponization of our work as scientists, especially in the field of AI, are reaching further than some may think. The potential consequences of a deployment of AWS for citizen stakeholders are incommensurable, and it is time to raise awareness in the public domain of the kind of potential threats identified, and to encourage legal policies ensuring that these threats will not materialize.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frai.2023.1154184/fullartificial intelligenceweaponizationautonomous weapon systemsthe Geneva protocolthe discrimination principleJust War Theories |
| spellingShingle | Birgitta Dresp-Langley The weaponization of artificial intelligence: What the public needs to be aware of Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence artificial intelligence weaponization autonomous weapon systems the Geneva protocol the discrimination principle Just War Theories |
| title | The weaponization of artificial intelligence: What the public needs to be aware of |
| title_full | The weaponization of artificial intelligence: What the public needs to be aware of |
| title_fullStr | The weaponization of artificial intelligence: What the public needs to be aware of |
| title_full_unstemmed | The weaponization of artificial intelligence: What the public needs to be aware of |
| title_short | The weaponization of artificial intelligence: What the public needs to be aware of |
| title_sort | weaponization of artificial intelligence what the public needs to be aware of |
| topic | artificial intelligence weaponization autonomous weapon systems the Geneva protocol the discrimination principle Just War Theories |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frai.2023.1154184/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT birgittadresplangley theweaponizationofartificialintelligencewhatthepublicneedstobeawareof AT birgittadresplangley weaponizationofartificialintelligencewhatthepublicneedstobeawareof |