China prepares to deploy killer robots

Newsweek carries an article about China's "killer robots" which are on track to serve its military on the battlefield, Caliber.Az reprints the article.

China's autonomous "killer robots" are expected to join its military forces on the battlefield within two years, heralding an era of AI-powered warfare described by experts as "the greatest threat to human survival."

In the 21st century, remote methods of warfare, such as drones and cyberattacks, have become increasingly pivotal in military operations. Dominance of the skies through unmanned aerial vehicles has been a crucial factor in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Recently, the US Department of Defense announced a new $1 billion initiative to enhance its drone fleet.

Several major powers have advanced to developing fully autonomous, AI-powered "killer robots" to substitute soldiers on the battlefield.

Francis Tusa, a prominent defense analyst, stated to National Security News that he anticipates autonomous machines from China to emerge within two years. He highlighted China's rapid development of AI-powered ships, submarines, and aircraft, noting they are progressing at a pace significantly faster than the United States.

Reports indicate that China and Russia have collaborated on the development of AI-powered autonomous weapons.

In recent military exercises with Cambodia, the People's Liberation Army displayed a gun-mounted robot dog made by the Chinese firm Unitree Robotics. Meanwhile, Russia exhibited a modified Unitree Robotics dog, named the M-81 robot-dog, equipped with a rocket-propelled grenade launcher at an arms fair near Moscow in 2022.

Steve Goose serves as the Arms Division Director at Human Rights Watch, a New York-based NGO that co-founded the "Stop Killer Robots" campaign. This initiative advocates for new international legal frameworks to restrict the deployment of autonomous weapons systems.