Campaign to Stop Killer Robots

First launched in April 2013, the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots has urged governments and the United Nations to issue policy to outlaw the development of lethal autonomous weapons systems, also known as LAWS.{{cite news|last1=McVeigh|first1=Tracey|title=Killer robots must be stopped, say campaigners|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/feb/23/stop-killer-robots|accessdate=14 April 2015|work=The Guardian|date=23 February 2013}} Several countries including Israel{{citation needed|date=September 2020}}, Russia,{{Cite journal|last=KLARE|first=MICHAEL|date=2018|title=U.S., Russia Impede Steps to Ban 'Killer Robots'|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/90025262|journal=Arms Control Today|volume=48|issue=8|pages=31–33|jstor=90025262|issn=0196-125X}} South Korea{{citation needed|date=September 2020}}, the United States,{{Cite journal|last=KLARE|first=MICHAEL|date=2018|title=U.S., Russia Impede Steps to Ban 'Killer Robots'|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/90025262|journal=Arms Control Today|volume=48|issue=8|pages=31–33|jstor=90025262|issn=0196-125X}} and the United Kingdom{{Cite news|title = UK opposes international ban on developing 'killer robots'|url = https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/apr/13/uk-opposes-international-ban-on-developing-killer-robots|work =The Guardian|accessdate = 28 July 2015|date=28 July 2015|first = Owen|last = Bowcott}} oppose the call for a preemptive ban, and believe that existing international humanitarian law is sufficient regulation for this area.

In December 2018, a global Ipsos poll quantified growing public opposition to fully autonomous weapons. It found that 61% of adults surveyed across 26 countries oppose the use of lethal autonomous weapons systems. Two-thirds of those opposed thought these weapons would “cross a moral line because machines should not be allowed to kill," and more than half said the weapons would be “unaccountable."{{Cite web|url=https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/news-polls/human-rights-watch-six-in-ten-oppose-autonomous-weapons|title=Six in Ten (61%) Respondents Across 26 Countries Oppose the Use of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems|website=Ipsos|language=en-us|access-date=2019-02-22}} A similar study across 23 countries was conducted in January 2017, which showed 56% of respondents were opposed to the use of these weapons.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/news-polls/three-ten-americans-support-using-autonomous-weapons|title=Three in Ten Americans Support Using Autonomous Weapons|last=|first=|date=February 7, 2017|website=Ipsos|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=February 22, 2019}}

In November 2018, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called for a ban on killer robots, stating, "For me there is a message that is very clear – machines that have the power and the discretion to take human lives are politically unacceptable, are morally repugnant, and should be banned by international law."{{Cite web|url=https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/speeches/2018-11-05/remarks-web-summit|title=Remarks at "Web Summit"|date=2018-11-08|website=United Nations Secretary-General|language=en|access-date=2019-02-22}}

In July 2018, over 200 technology companies and 3,000 individuals signed a public pledge to "not participate nor support the development, manufacture, trade, or use of lethal autonomous weapons."{{Cite web|url=https://futureoflife.org/lethal-autonomous-weapons-pledge/|title=Lethal Autonomous Weapons Pledge|website=Future of Life Institute|date=6 June 2018|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-22}} In July 2015, over 1,000 experts in artificial intelligence signed on to a letter warning of the threat of an arms race in military artificial intelligence and calling for a ban on autonomous weapons. The letter was presented in Buenos Aires at the 24th International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI-15) and was co-signed by Stephen Hawking, Elon Musk, Steve Wozniak, Noam Chomsky, Skype co-founder Jaan Tallinn and Google DeepMind co-founder Demis Hassabis, among others.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/jul/27/musk-wozniak-hawking-ban-ai-autonomous-weapons|title=Musk, Wozniak and Hawking urge ban on warfare AI and autonomous weapons|last=Gibbs|first=Samuel|date=27 July 2015|work=The Guardian|accessdate=28 July 2015}}{{Cite news|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2015/07/27/musk-hawking-warn-of-artificial-intelligence-weapons/|title=Musk, Hawking Warn of Artificial Intelligence Weapons|last=Zakrzewski|first=Cat|date=27 July 2015|work=The Wall Street Journal|accessdate=28 July 2015}}

In June 2018, Kate Conger, then a journalist for Gizmodo and now with the New York Times, revealed Google's involvement in Project Maven, a US Department of Defense-funded program that sought to autonomously process video footage shot by surveillance drones.{{Cite web|url=https://gizmodo.com/google-is-helping-the-pentagon-build-ai-for-drones-1823464533|title=Google Is Helping the Pentagon Build AI for Drones|last=Conger|first=Kate|website=Gizmodo|date=6 March 2018 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-22}} Several Google employees resigned over the project, and 4,000 other employees sent a letter to Sundar Pichai, the company's chief executive, protesting Google's involvement in the project and demanding that Google not "build warfare technology."{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/04/technology/google-letter-ceo-pentagon-project.html|title='The Business of War': Google Employees Protest Work for the Pentagon|last1=Shane|first1=Scott|date=2018-04-04|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-02-22|last2=Wakabayashi|first2=Daisuke|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} Facing internal pressure and public scrutiny, Google released a set of Ethical Principles for AI which included a pledge to not develop artificial intelligence for use in weapons and promised not to renew the Maven contract after it expires in 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.blog.google/technology/ai/ai-principles/|title=AI at Google: our principles|date=2018-06-07|website=Google|language=en|access-date=2019-02-22}}

The campaign won the [https://www.stopkillerrobots.org/news/the-ypres-peace-prize/ Ypres Peace Prize] in 2020{{Cite web |date=2020-06-09 |title=Children Vote to Stop Killer Robots |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/06/09/children-vote-stop-killer-robots |access-date=2022-04-04 |website=Human Rights Watch |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Swiss Philanthropy Foundation"Campaign to Stop Killer Robots" wins the Ypres Peace Prize 2020 - Swiss Philanthropy Foundation |url=https://www.swissphilanthropy.ch/en/2020/06/11/la-campaign-to-stop-killer-robots-recompensee-par-le-prix-de-la-paix-de-la-ville-dypres/ |access-date=2022-04-04 |website=www.swissphilanthropy.ch}} and was nominated for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize by Norwegian MP Audun Lysbakken.{{cite news |title=Flere fredsprisforslag før fristen gikk ut |url=https://www.aftenposten.no/norge/politikk/i/jBL23A/flere-fredsprisforslag-foer-fristen-gikk-ut |work=Aftenposten |agency=Norwegian News Agency |date=31 January 2021}}{{cite news |title=Hektisk nomineringsaktivitet før fredsprisfrist |url=https://www.dagsavisen.no/nyheter/verden/hektisk-nomineringsaktivitet-for-fredsprisfrist-1.1827991 |work=Dagsavisen |date=31 January 2021}} In 2024, the campaign received the Archivio Disarmo – [https://www.archiviodisarmo.it/golden-doves-for-peace.html Golden Doves for Peace] award.{{Cite web |title=The Archivio Disarmo Award - Golden Dove for Peace 2024 |url=https://www.archiviodisarmo.it/the-archivio-disarmo-award-golden-dove-for-peace-2024.html |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=www.archiviodisarmo.it}}{{Cite web |date=2024-10-01 |title=Golden Dove for Peace Award |url=https://www.stopkillerrobots.org/news/golden-dove-for-peace-award/ |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Stop Killer Robots |language=en}}

Stop Killer Robots are due to release a documentary called Immoral Code{{Cite web |title=Immoral Code - A film by Stop Killer Robots |url=https://www.immoralcode.io/ |access-date=2022-04-04 |website=www.immoralcode.io}} in May 2022 on the subject of automation and killer robots. The film is due to premiere at Prince Charles Cinema in London's Leicester Square and examines whether there are situations where it’s morally and socially acceptable to take life, and importantly - would a computer know the difference?

The full membership list of the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots is available on their website.{{Cite web | url=https://www.stopkillerrobots.org/members/ |title = The Campaign to Stop Killer Robots}}

• Amnesty International
• Handicap International
• Human Rights Watch
• International Committee for Robot Arms Control
• Nobel Women's Initiative
• Pax Christi International
• Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs
• Women's International League for Peace and Freedom

{{Update|part=section|date=July 2022|reason=There is no information about countries voting against killer robots beyond 2018}}

1. Pakistan on 30 May 2013{{Cite web|url=http://stopkillerrobots.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/HRC_Pakistan_09_30May2013.pdf|title=Statement by Pakistan|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}
2. Ecuador on 13 May 2014{{Cite web|url=https://www.unog.ch/80256EDD006B8954/(httpAssets)/7BFC0D328945A3A8C1257CD7006898F7/$file/Ecuador_MX_LAWS.pdf|title=Statement of Ecuador|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}
3. Egypt on 13 May 2014{{Cite web|url=https://www.unog.ch/80256EDD006B8954/(httpAssets)/2028736E09C48CFDC1257CD7005D76D7/$file/Egypt_MX_LAWS.pdf|title=Statement of Egypt|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}
4. Holy See on 13 May 2014{{Cite web|url=https://www.unog.ch/80256EDD006B8954/(httpAssets)/D51A968CB2A8D115C1257CD8002552F5/$file/Holy+See+MX+LAWS.pdf|title=Statement of the Holy See|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}
5. Cuba on 16 May 2014
6. Ghana on 16 April 2015{{Cite web|url=https://www.unog.ch/80256EDD006B8954/(httpAssets)/AD21547E3F5EAEDEC1257E2900469B18/$file/2015_LAWS_MX_Ghana_Ethics.pdf|title=Statement of Ghana|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}
7. Bolivia on 17 April 2015 
8. State of Palestine on 13 November 2015 
9. Zimbabwe on 12 November 2015 {{Cite web|url=https://www.unog.ch/80256EDD006B8954/(httpAssets)/842EF3CB3B61A2FBC1257F0F003B9521/$file/zimbabwe.pdf|title=Statement of Zimbabwe|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}
10. Algeria on 11 April 2016{{Cite web|url=https://www.unog.ch/80256EDD006B8954/(httpAssets)/EBA56386AE5E61A1C1257F9200579F4F/$file/2016_LAWS+MX_GeneralExchange_Statements_Algeria.pdf|title=Statement of Algeria|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}
11. Costa Rica on 11 April 2016{{Cite web|url=https://www.unog.ch/80256EDD006B8954/(httpAssets)/5DF8EE2B9B3C881BC1257F920057A83B/$file/2016_LAWS+MX_GeneralExchange_Statements_Costa+Rica.pdf|title=Statement of Costa Rica|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}
12. Mexico on 13 April 2016{{Cite web|url=https://www.unog.ch/80256EDD006B8954/(httpAssets)/44FB014A6029D721C1257F920057E636/$file/2016_LAWS+MX_GeneralExchange_Statements_Mexico.pdf|title=Statement of Mexico|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}
13. Chile on 14 April 2016{{Cite web|url=https://www.unog.ch/80256EDD006B8954/(httpAssets)/B5FADFAA6CCC22B7C1257F9B0052E888/$file/2016_LAWS+MX+HRandEthicalIssues_Statement_Chile.pdf|title=Statement of Chile|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}
14. Nicaragua on 14 April 2016
15. Panama on 12 December 2016
16. Peru on 12 December 2016
17. Argentina on 12 December 2016
18. Venezuela on 13 December 2016
19. Guatemala on 13 December 2016
20. Brazil on 13 November 2017
21. Iraq on 13 November 2017
22. Uganda on 17 November 2017
23. Austria on 9 April 2018
24. Djibouti on 13 April 2018
25. Colombia on 13 April 2018
26. El Salvador on 22 November 2018
27. Morocco on 22 November 2018{{Cite web|url=http://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/ccw/2018/hcp-meeting/statements/22Nov_Morocco2.pdf|title=Statement by Morocco|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}

• The Truth About Killer Robots (2018 documentary)

{{reflist|2}}

• {{official website|http://www.stopkillerrobots.org/}}

Category:Arms control

Category:Military robots