We are not violating the first law of robotics: drones and the limits of artificial intelligence

Main Article Content

Thiago Borne Ferreira

Abstract

Isaac Asimov is considered one of the greatest science fiction writers of all time. His work has helped hundreds of scientists – especially roboticists – to think about the limits of science. Asimov’s work is so influential that many people take the Laws of Robotics applicability to real life for granted. One of the most important issues in the current debate over drones relates to the control and regulation of increasingly intelligent systems. The question that guides this essay derives from the title of an article by John Arquilla published by Foreign Policy in 2013: does the military use of UAS (unmanned aerial systems) violate the First Law of Robotics? To assess this question, the text (1) presents Arquilla’s argument and reviews the development of military robotics in the twentieth century; and (2) presents Asimov’s Laws and explores its applicability to real weapons systems based on the concept of autonomy. Finally, the conclusion resumes some of the points dealt with in the text and furthers the research agenda.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Article Details

How to Cite
FERREIRA, T. B. We are not violating the first law of robotics: drones and the limits of artificial intelligence. Coleção Meira Mattos: revista das ciências militares, v. 8, n. 32, p. 125-130, 21 Aug. 2014.
Section
Scientific Articles
Author Biography

Thiago Borne Ferreira, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil

Thiago Borne é doutorando em Estudos Estratégicos Internacionais – PPGEEI pela Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul – UFRGS, membro do Grupo de Trabalho em Políticas de Defesa, Inteligência e Segurança do Centro de Estudos Internacionais sobre Governo – CEGOV, pesquisador do Instituto Sul-Americano de Política e Estratégia – ISAPE, e bolsista da Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul – FAPERGS.