WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The US military has already developed guidelines for the use of semi- and fully-autonomous weapons systems.
"It's not impossible that someone will try to develop a completely autonomous [Terminator] system that does not require a human to target and release," Selva stated. "At the point of decision [to engage a target lethally] the robotic system decides."
The United States needs to examine applicable laws and conventions and develop a regime that prevents such a system from being created, Selva noted.
"But even if we do that, there will be violators," Selva claimed.
Commanders using semi-autonomous weapons must exercise precautions to reduce the risk of civilian casualties and may be held to more stringent guidelines if a weapon system with more sophisticated autonomous functions is used, according to the US Defense Department's Law of War manual.
