The question is a popular one for sure around the world. Every time a breakthrough is made in the world of computer AI and robotics, the first thing anyone comments on is “one step closer to SkyNet!” Will automated killing machines ever become a reality, though? Looking at the modern-day world, there is just now a CCW (Convention on Conventional Weapons) meeting in Geneva to discuss the use of automated robots as a police force around the world. What conclusions they reach remain to be seen, however, it is clear this is a popular topic around the world.
Naturally, unmanned vehicles have been the topic of controversy lately as technology for these “drones” has only increased. Despite the US News reports of armed forces’ insistence that truly automated machines are many years ahead of us, many people continue to fear that killer robots are on the horizon. Many countries already use armed machines to carry out strategic strikes. Although they are remotely controlled by pilots for now, many people still worry that they will be developed to distinguish enemies on their own. This could lead to fully automated fighting machines.
It’s likely that the movie industry is a large source of the public’s fear over killer robots. After all, science fiction stories have been written about automated machines for a long time and have been mainstream as far back as 1939’s “I, Robot” by Isaac Asimov. Since then, Hollywood has created multiple robot films, including the epic Terminator and RoboCop films. Not only were these movies huge hits for their time, they have continued to be a huge influence on culture since their release.
Terminator, of course, has been a huge franchise. It has spawned a spinoff television series and several Terminator-themed novels. “SkyNet” is one of the most universally known bad guys in the world, and the name gets dropped on pretty much anything from Google to the entire Internet itself. Simiarly, RoboCop is an incredibly popular franchise, and the 1987 movie inspired the recent remake. There’s also a lifelike statue in Detroit that was funded by many donations through the internet. RoboCop has also been popular in video gaming and is featured as a cinematic game on Betfair’s Arcade site. While these films maintain their impact on modern culture, it is fairly predictable that they are mentioned when public fear of killer robots surfaces each year.
Eighty-seven countries coming together to discuss robotics in Geneva is quite a big moment for modern science. While it is almost ironic for nations to be discussing the “proper” way to go about killing each other, the conventions have been responsible for the rights of prisoners of war. They have also prohibited the use of blinding laser weapons before they were ever used. As cool as blinding laser guns sound, there are apparently right and wrong ways to kill your fellow man, and supporters of the convention believe that the decision to end a life should remain “firmly in human hands.”
It’s hard to disagree, and the prospect of SkyNet becoming a reality is quite a scary one, which is why it gets repeated every year. Whether the nations attending the current meeting come to an agreement about the possibility of killer robots remains to be seen, but they will convene in November of this year again so there is always time for more discussion. As awesome as the Terminator universe is on the big screen, I think most of us can agree that we would not want to be fleeing Skynet every day of our lives, and the people in Geneva will probably agree. Perhaps a T-800 will arrive from the future to convince world leaders to stop SkyNet before it’s too late.