Shifting From Autonomous Weapons to Military Networks

TY - JOUR

T1 - Shifting From Autonomous Weapons to Military Networks

AU - Van Rompaey, Léonard

PY - 2019

Y1 - 2019

N2 - The persistent anthropomorphism of lethal autonomous weapons systems (laws) as the replacement for human soldiers creates irrelevant expectations of physical embodiment and cognitive individualization. This anthropomorphism taints the analysis and discussions on the adaptation of international humanitarian law (ihl) by excluding relevant technologies from the scope of discussions. Shifting from laws to a network-centric sociotechnical systems perspective allows to remedy the under inclusiveness of the laws perspective by shifting away from the salient features of laws, in favour of a focus on the interactions with, and influence that the technology has on human decision-making in warfare. By criticizing the relevance of the technological focus of the current diplomatic process, the paper argues that the network-centric perspective is not only more accurate, but also more helpful and practical in adapting ihl to the armed conflicts of the twenty-first century.

AB - The persistent anthropomorphism of lethal autonomous weapons systems (laws) as the replacement for human soldiers creates irrelevant expectations of physical embodiment and cognitive individualization. This anthropomorphism taints the analysis and discussions on the adaptation of international humanitarian law (ihl) by excluding relevant technologies from the scope of discussions. Shifting from laws to a network-centric sociotechnical systems perspective allows to remedy the under inclusiveness of the laws perspective by shifting away from the salient features of laws, in favour of a focus on the interactions with, and influence that the technology has on human decision-making in warfare. By criticizing the relevance of the technological focus of the current diplomatic process, the paper argues that the network-centric perspective is not only more accurate, but also more helpful and practical in adapting ihl to the armed conflicts of the twenty-first century.

U2 - 10.1163/18781527-01001011

DO - 10.1163/18781527-01001011

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1878-1373

VL - 10

SP - 111

EP - 128

JO - Journal of International Humanitarian Legal Studies

JF - Journal of International Humanitarian Legal Studies

IS - 1

T2 - Artificial Intelligence in Warfare. Beyond Killer Robots - Networked Artificial Intelligence Disrupting the Battlefield.

Y2 - 15 November 2018 through 16 November 2018

ER -