First autonomous drone attack on humans (alleged by the UN)

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The discussion centers on the implications of the STM Kargu autonomous kamikaze drone's actions during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, where it reportedly attacked Haftar's forces in Libya without human command. This incident is noted as the first recorded instance of a loitering munition acting autonomously. Participants express concerns about the ethical and operational ramifications of autonomous weapons, questioning the distinction between this drone and other forms of autonomous munitions like landmines and anti-radiation missiles. The conversation also touches on the broader debate regarding the regulation of autonomous weapons, highlighting the historical context of their use since the 1980s and the potential risks posed by such technology falling into the hands of non-state actors. Additionally, there are mixed reactions to the portrayal of this technology in popular culture, with some arguing that comparisons to fictional AI systems like Skynet are misplaced, as the Kargu operates on a different level than strategic control systems.
sbrothy
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It may be old news but it still kinda sends a chill down my spine.During the "recent" 2020 war in Nargorno-Karabakh appearently the UN claims that an STM Kargu autonomous kamikaze drone loaded with explosives detected and attacked Haftar's forces in Libya with its artificial intelligence without command. It is considered the first drone attack in history carried out by a loitering munition on it's "own" initiative.Hello Skynet! :)

EDIT: I'm a little behind because this conflict didnt receive much coverage where I live.
EDIT2: And funnily enough the war was appearently fought over Covid-19 restrictions!
 
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sbrothy said:
It is considered the first drone attack in history carried out by a loitering munition on it's "own" initiative.
I'd be curious to try to dissect how they split the hair to declare this the first, vs the many autonomous drones/weapons we've had and used for decades.

I suppose land and sea mines don't qualify for some reason? Autonomous anti-radiation missiles?
 
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russ_watters said:
I'd be curious to try to dissect how they split the hair to declare this the first, vs the many autonomous drones/weapons we've had and used for decades.

I suppose land and sea mines don't qualify for some reason? Autonomous anti-radiation missiles?
Yeah. I'm also pretty sure that the people who were killed don't really care about the distinction., autonomous weapons has been around since the eighties. Still, aot of debate is appereantly going on these days about whether to ban them. Fat chance.
 
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sbrothy said:
It may be old news but it still kinda sends a chill down my spine.During the "recent" 2020 war in Nargorno-Karabakh appearently the UN claims that an STM Kargu autonomous kamikaze drone loaded with explosives detected and attacked Haftar's forces in Libya with its artificial intelligence without command. It is considered the first drone attack in history carried out by a loitering munition on it's "own" initiative.
s!
The locations are mixed up - what does Nargorno-Karabakh (which is a disputed region in the Caucuses) have to do with Libya?

A landmine is a 'loitering' munition - and unlike a drone cannot easily be turned off - so maybe this is a lesser evil? I don't really see the distinction between launching a 'dumb' missile and a drone that will seek and attack some random target.
 
BWV said:
A landmine is a 'loitering' munition - and unlike a drone cannot easily be turned off - so maybe this is a lesser evil?
I think so. The purpose of most automation and/or "smart" technology I can think of is efficiency (and this can be expanded backwards in time/technology somewhat). More effectively hitting your target means less munitions used and less collateral damage. It has enabled changes in tactics and laws of war that have unquestionably led to smaller, shorter, safer and more decisive wars. A cynic could say safety is an unintended biproduct, but it's very real regardless.

There is always a risk (certainty?) that new tech will be used by our enemies, terrorists or even ordinary criminals, and this tech is already dropping into that domain:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Caracas_drone_attack

But I don't get allusions to Skynet/War Games/Strangelove. This isn't the same system as that. Those are AI strategic control systems, not individual weapons. They are fundamentally different in purpose/scope.
 

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