Autonomous weapons are the moral choice

Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks argues for the development and use of autonomous weapons in the United States, emphasizing their cost-effectiveness and potential to reduce harm to human personnel. Opponents of autonomous weapons, or lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS), raise concerns about moral and ethical implications, including the loss of human oversight and the potential for arbitrary actions. The author contends that these arguments are unpersuasive, as humans are still involved in programming and launching autonomous weapons. The article also highlights the historical use of autonomous weapons and the evolving nature of warfare, particularly in the context of the Ukrainian conflict. The author asserts that autonomy is an ethical imperative for protecting lives in future conflicts and suggests that international efforts to prohibit such weapons are unlikely to succeed.

Link to the full article: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/autonomous-weapons-are-the-moral-choice/