Concerns are mounting in China as the Communist superpower advances humanoid robot development to replace human soldiers on the battlefield, prompting calls for “ethical and legal research” into this Terminator-like technology to “avoid moral pitfalls.”

An op-ed published by Yuan Yi, Ma Ye and Yue Shiguang in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Daily warned that faulty robots could lead to “indiscriminate killings and accidental death,” which would “inevitably result in legal charges and moral condemnation.”

The South China Morning Post reports:

The authors cited American science fiction writer Isaac Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics, a set of principles that have influenced discussions about the ethics of real-world applications in the field.

The authors said that militarised humanoid robots “clearly violate” the first of Asimov’s laws, which states that a robot “may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm”. They added that Asimov’s laws needed to be overhauled in the light of these developments.

They also highlighted legal implications, saying that humanoid robots in military scenarios should comply with the main principles of the laws of war by “obeying humans”, “respecting humans” and “protecting humans”.

The authors emphasized that robots must be designed with constraints to “suspend and limit excessive use of force in a timely manner and not indiscriminately kill people.” Additionally, the trio cautioned against hastily replacing humans with robots, noting that robots still lack essential capabilities such as speed, dexterity, and the ability to navigate complex terrains.

“Even if humanoid robots become mature and widely used in the future, they will not completely replace other unmanned systems,” the article said.

Concurrently, the U.S. Army is intensifying efforts to integrate robotics, artificial intelligence, and autonomous systems, aiming to enhance human-machine collaboration between soldiers and advanced robots on the battlefield, according to Interesting Engineering.

Scientists at the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory (DEVCOM ARL) are pioneering advancements in ground and aerial autonomous systems, as well as energy solutions, to bolster the mobility and maneuverability of these technologies, the technology website reports.

“We are bridging the gap between humans and robots, making them more intuitive, responsive, and, ultimately, more useful for the Soldier,” said a lead researcher for the Artificial Intelligence for Maneuver and Mobility program. “ARL researchers have demonstrated an interactive bi-directional communication system that enables real-time exchanges between humans and robots.”

And of course (CGI):