“As we migrate lethal decisionmaking from humans to software, we risk not only taking the humanity out of war but also changing our social landscape entirely,” says Suarez. “The way humans resolve conflict shapes our social landscape.” He spins through a quick history lesson of combat innovations, from the armor worn by a knight on horseback, to gunpowder and the cannon, to the nation-state, by which time leaders were forced both to rely on and share power with the people. Autonomous robotic weapons, he says, are just such a step forward. “But by requiring very few people to go to war, they risk re-centralizing power into very few hands, possibly reversing a five-century trend towards democracy.”
It’s Not News Yet
