Human Rights Watch

LOSING HUMANITY

The Case against Killer Robots

H U M A N

R I G H T S

W A T C H

Losing Humanity

The Case against Killer Robots

Copyright ? 2012 Human Rights Watch

All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America

ISBN: 1-56432-964-X

Cover design by Rafael Jimenez

Cover cartoon by Russell Christian

Human Rights Watch is dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the

world. We stand with victims and activists to prevent discrimination, to uphold political

freedom, to protect people from inhumane conduct in wartime, and to bring offenders to

justice. We investigate and expose human rights violations and hold abusers accountable.

We challenge governments and those who hold power to end abusive practices and

respect international human rights law. We enlist the public and the international

community to support the cause of human rights for all.

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For more information, please visit our website:

The International Human Rights Clinic (IHRC) at Harvard Law School seeks to protect and

promote human rights and international humanitarian law through documentation; legal,

factual, and strategic analysis; litigation before national, regional, and international

bodies; treaty negotiations; and policy and advocacy initiatives. IHRC also critically

examines the human rights movement and engages in innovative clinical education to

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affected communities around the world.

For more information, please visit IHRC¡¯s website:



NOVEMBER 2012

ISBN: 1-56432-964-X

Losing Humanity

The Case against Killer Robots

Summary ........................................................................................................................... 1

Definitions and Technology ..................................................................................................... 2

Safeguards for Civilian Protection .............................................................................................3

Recommendations.............................................................................................................. 5

To All States ............................................................................................................................. 5

To Roboticists and Others Involved in the Development of Robotic Weapons ............................. 5

I. Unmanned Robots and the Evolution toward Fully Autonomous Weapons ........................ 6

Plans for Autonomy .................................................................................................................. 7

Automatic Weapons Defense Systems ..................................................................................... 9

Other Precursors to Fully Autonomous Weapons ..................................................................... 13

II. Article 36 and the Requirement to Review New Weapons .............................................. 21

III. International Humanitarian Law Compliance Mechanisms............................................ 27

Arkin¡¯s ¡°Ethical Governor¡± ...................................................................................................... 27

¡°Strong AI¡± ............................................................................................................................ 28

IV. Challenges to Compliance with International Humanitarian Law .................................. 30

Distinction..............................................................................................................................30

Proportionality........................................................................................................................32

Military Necessity ................................................................................................................... 34

Martens Clause ...................................................................................................................... 35

Conclusion .............................................................................................................................36

V. Other Threats to Civilian Protection .............................................................................. 37

The Lack of Human Emotion .................................................................................................... 37

Making War Easier and Shifting the Burden to Civilians ...........................................................39

VI. Problems of Accountability for Fully Autonomous Weapons ......................................... 42

Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 46

To All States .......................................................................................................................... 46

To Roboticists and Others Involved in the Development of Robotic Weapons ........................... 47

Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................ 49

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