Abstract
This chapter presents an initial discussion of scenarios linked to terrorism and lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWs). This chapter discusses two arguments: first, LAWs are different from nuclear weapons because all state and non-state actors can have access to them, and second, technological progress goes faster than international law and diplomacy, which should ban or limit the use of LAWs. Considering the first argument, the chapter explains different classifications and the specificities of these weapons that distinguish them from nuclear weapons and make them more dangerous. Supporting the argument that the world is facing new threats, the chapter discusses different scenarios for the use of LAWs by state and non-state actors, and practical solutions can reduce the use of LAWs and their risks. The chapter also supplies an overview of the international laws and the international mechanisms that need a rethinking of the rules concerning the use of force. In conclusion, all the debate concerning international law will not be enough to reduce the risks of the possible use of LAWs by terrorist organizations and that international society will have only two choices: to end research on artificial intelligence in the military field or to take the risk of ending humanity by supporting research in this area.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Abramson, J. ( 2017), Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) At a Glance, Arms Control Association.
Akerman E. (2017), Industry Urges United Nations to Ban Lethal Autonomous Weapons in New Open Letter, IEE Spectrum, 21 Aug 2017 | 19:00 GMT. https://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/military-robots/industry-urges-united-nations-to-ban-lethal-autonomous-weaponsin-new-open-letter
Allen, Greg, and Taniel Chan. 2017. “Artificial Intelligence and National Security: A Study on behalf of Dr. Jason Matheny, Director of the U.S. Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA).” Paper. Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School. https://www.belfercenter.org/sites/default/files/files/publication/AI%20NatSec%20-%20final.pdf.
Atherton, Kelsey D. 2017. “ISIS Is Dropping Bombs with Drones in Iraq: The Quadcopter Menace.” Popular Science, January 16, 2017. https://www.popsci.com/isis-is-dropping-bombs-with-drones-in-iraq/.
Bekdil, B. E., (2022), Turkey and Ukraine to coproduce TB2 Drones, Defense News, Feb 24.
Bendett, S. (2023, June), The State of Autonomy, AI & Robotics for Russia’s Ground Vehicles, European Security and defense. https://euro-sd.com/2023/06/articles/31798/the-state-of-autonomy-ai-robotics-for-russias-ground-vehicles/
Bigelow, Pete. 2016. “ISIS Could Use a Self-Driving Car to Deliver a Bomb: Experts Warn of Security Threats in the Transportation Realm.” Autoblog, March 15, 2016. https://www.autoblog.com/2016/03/15/isis-terrorists-bomb-self-driving-cars-sxsw/.
Blain, Loz. 2016. “South Korea’s Autonomous Robot Gun Turrets: Deadly from Kilometers Away.” New Atlas, December 7, 2010. https://newatlas.com/korea-dodamm-super-aegis-autonomos-robot-gun-turret/17198/.
Docherty, Bonnie L. 2012. Losing Humanity: The Case against Killer Robots. Human Rights Watch. 3.file:///C:/Users/ASUS/Desktop/AI%20AND%20MEDIA/LOSING%20HUMANITY.pdf
Future of Life Institute. 2017. “An Open Letter for the United of Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons.” https://futureoflife.org/autonomous-weapons-open-letter-2017.
Graham, A. The Thucydides’s Trap. The Next Great War? The Roots of World War I and the Risk of US-China Conflict. Ed. Richard N. Rosecrance and Steven E. Miller. MIT Press, 2014.
Harper, J. (2020), Uptick in Spending Seen for Directed Energy Weapons, National Defence Magazine, 10/13/2020. https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2020/10/13/uptick-in-spending-seen-for-directed-energy
International Court of Justice (1996), Legality of the Treaty or Use of Nuclear Weapons, Juil 8. General List. No. 95. 095-19960708-ADV-01-00-EN.pdf (icj-cij.org)
ICRC, 2004, Convention on Prohibition or Restriction on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons which may be deemed to be excessively injurious or to have indiscriminate effect, Geneva.
International Federation Robot, (2020). IFR presents World Robotics Report 2020, Record 2.7 Million Robots Work in Factories Around the Globe - #WorldRo, Press Releases
Kalshoven, F. (1987), Constraints on the waging of war, Martinus Nijhoff, Dordrecht, P. 14. https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/25482
League of Arab States. 1998. Arab Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism. Cairo. https://www.unodc.org/images/tldb-f/conv_arab_terrorism.en.pdf.
Levit, M. and Boghardt, L. P, (2014), A quick guide to the finances of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), the world’s best-funded terrorist group. The Washington Institute.
London, A. 2017, AlphaGo Zero: AI teaches itself to ply Go better than any human or other AI ever, October 19.
McCarthy, Niall. 2017. “Where ISIS Gets Its Weapons.” Statista, December 19, 2017. https://www.statista.com/chart/12330/where-isis-gets-its-weapons/.
Qlik, (2023), How do big data and AI work together, Big Data AI Guide, ebook retrieved from
Rupérez, J. 2006. “The United Nations in the Fight against Terrorism.” Paper. United Nations, Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate. https://www.un.org/sc/ctc/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/2006_01_26_cted_lecture.pdf
Sandoz, Y, Swinarski, C, Zimmermann, B. (1989), Commentary on the Additional Protocols of 8 June 1977 to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, ICRC/Martinus Nijhoff, Geneva, 1987, p. 39 (Para. 55).
SIPRI (2019) Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Military Expenditure Database (online) Available from: https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/Data%20for%20all%20countries%20from%201988%E2%80%932020%20in%20local%20currency%20%28pdf%29.pdf
SkyQuest Technology Consulting (2022), Global Military Robots Market to generate revenue of $ 25.70 billion by 2028, September 1, 2022, at 11:29 Retrieved from: https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2022/09/21/2520400/0/en/Global-Military-Robots-Market-to-Generate-Revenue-of-25-70-Billion-by-2028-Future-of-AI-powered-Robot-in-Defense-is-Brig
Statista Research Department, (2022), Military spending in Russia From 1993 to 2021 (in billion current U.S. Dollars), Statista, Nov 2. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1203160/military-expenditure-russia/
Stober, E. (2018). U.S. Military Announces $2 Billion Investment in Artificial Intelligence, Global News, September 7. https://globalnews.ca/news/4435519/us-military-artificial-intelligence-investment/.
Ticehurst, R. (1997), The Martens Clause and the Law of Armed Conflict, 30-04-1997 Articles, International Review of the Red Cross, No. 317
Tucker, P. (2017, November), Russia to the United Nations: Don’t Try to Stop Us From Building Killer Robots: UN efforts to limit or regulate military AI may be failing before they even begin. Science & Technology Editor, Defense One. https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2017/11/russia-united-nations-dont-try-stop-us-building-killer-robots/142734/
The Guardian. (2011), Facebook, Google, HOTMAIL, and Twitter among services blocked by the government, report users, [online]. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jan/26/egypt-blocks-social-media-websites
World Economic Forum. 2016. “What If: Robots Go to War?” Filmed January 21, 2016. Video, 56:43. https://www.weforum.org/events/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2016/sessions/what-if-robots-go-to-war.
Whyte, L. (2015), The Real Thucydides’ Trap, The popular expression only captures half of the true meaning of Thucydides’ work, The Diplomat, May 06.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2024 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Roumate, F. (2024). Terrorism and Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems International Society Between the End of Scientific Research and the End of Humanity. In: Artificial Intelligence and the New World Order. Frontiers of Artificial Intelligence, Ethics and Multidisciplinary Applications. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-50312-2_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-50312-2_4
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-50311-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-50312-2
eBook Packages: Business and ManagementBusiness and Management (R0)