Why the United States Must Adopt Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems

by U.S. Army, United States Army School of Advanced Military Studies

“The East and West have differing views on the morality of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics technology. Eastern culture sees artificial intelligence as an economic savior capable of improving their society. In contrast, Western culture regards artificial intelligence with paranoia, anxiety, and skepticism. As Eastern nations begin to use artificial intelligence to develop and field Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems (LAWS), it will leave the West at an insurmountable military disadvantage. Western nations' insistence on keeping humans in control of warfare and their self-imposed moral ban on Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems, leaves their armies vulnerable to sustaining mass casualties in future wars. The United States must start developing Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems to maintain its military superiority.” The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student author and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other government agency. By MAJ John W. Brock II, this monograph contains a list of acronyms, footnotes, and bibliography.

60 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 18, 2017