Legality of automated weapons, international incidents?

[OsakanOne]

Hi,

Just curious to know: What are the various international laws surrounding automated weapons and the different classes of intelligence we have (sentient intelligence, synthetic intelligence, artificial intelligence, automatic intelligence, etc)?

More specifically, in the event something malfunctions, how does that work internationally? Is it seen as an act of aggression? Are sanctions or approval needed in order to carry out attacks? What happens in terms of accountability? How would your nation see an incident from both ends of the spectrum: either if something went AWOL, fired without approval or on the other side of things, if that happened to your nation?

I ask not only because of a recent film I imagine we've also seen but also because I did some reading on the subject and this video particularly rose a few questions that I'm particularly curious about.

Thanks for your time. I find this stuff fascinating and hope we can have a long and interesting conversation, especially if we don't actually know yet how we'd respond to such an event.

 

[Abwehran Commander]

I don't know about interstellar law, but autonomous weapons in the Abwehran Star Empire are more in support of the living soldier than a replacement. The majority of drones more fulfill a reconnaissance aspect than an actual combat one. However, when the few combat drones are used, they are in conjunction with living soldiers as a force multiplier: enhancing targeting, improving fire suppression/saturation, and even used as extra targets to take hits instead of living soldiers.

 

[Nashoba]

The Hidden Sun Clan only uses remote devices for recon purposes. They believe a person should control a weapon firing, not a machine.

 

[OsakanOne]

Thank-you. Any other takers?

 

[Wes]

Because Yamatai can mass-produce personnel, it tends to use them liberally, which reduces the need for dependence on automation. So you're more likely to see a Neko infiltration than a drone strike.

 

[OsakanOne]

Wes: I'm talking about automatic weapons, not intelligent weapons. Think Weapons-Pods and unmanned equipment.

 

[Jimmy]

Chelti will increasingly see greater use of self-determining (SD) units, they believe that a machine is most effective when combined with the malicious intent of an organic warrior, this also allows them to take some shortcuts with AI development with this mindset. Currently SD's are used in a heavy support or protection role, carrying large weapons and providing rapid air support to units, as well as disposable defense turrets from assault rifles on tripods to large hidden AA turrets. Unarmed SD's are used as recon, but that's not the focus here.

With this in mind, expect to start seeing chelti squads surrounded by a small swarm of crawling recon SD's and perhaps a heavy support SD which is a small armored vehicle. Aircraft and space fighters may be supported by SD "wingmen" who can be used to soften enemies without sacrificing lives. Tanks will start being surrounded by decoy and defense drones but the emphasis will probably still be on the fighting vehicle itself, I need to sit and think about this one some more.

As far as starships go, I haven't really thought that much about it. I definitely don't want to start proliferating completely automated cruisers. Perhaps some form of PT boat or corvette? Maybe we can call it a brig or schooner?



In brief, automated units will most often be used in concert with living soldiers rather than as separate formations. These units will be powerfully armed, but directed by organic soldiers. Loose "marauding" SD's will probably not be common.

As far as legality and morality are concerned, chelti will probably already be trading lives for time in the event of a large-scale invasion, being able to put some buffer between those lives and the enemy is the goal. Legally it's still your bullet that kills someone, whether it came from your hand, or a drones. Drone strikes in other countries of the type mentioned in that video are considered too "messy" by most chelti intelligence agencies and frankly gives the game away, too many downsides to the small positives in most cases.

 

[Doshii Jun]

Leigh, how about this: If the Lorath happen to create a weapon of the sort you suggest, and it goes and bombs Yamatai, all the pleas and "it's not our fault"s will not stop Yamatai from reducing Lor to spacedust.

If Lor wants to use that same analogy against Yamatai, it's more than welcome to do so. Yuumi basically admitted to such already.

International law in SARP almost is nonexistent. It's whatever goes.

I think you need to clear up the terminology. "Automatic weapons" makes me think machineguns, and "automated" weapons sound like a missile that's locked on its target.

 

[Wes]

It occurred to me this morning that since Nepleslia (unlike Yamatai) refuses to admit that Nekovalkyrja are a species, it's entirely possible that the Nekovalkyrja are considered "drone weapons" in their eyes...and thus possibly the kind of thing I think OsakanOne is referring to. However, the actions of individual Nekovalkyrja do not represent the government of Yamatai, even if the government originally made those Nekovalkyrja for its own purposes. Much in the way that Yamatai cannot be held responsible for damage caused by the Mishhuvuthyar. Even if it could be proven that the government ordered PNUgen's creation of the Mishhuvurthyar, the Mishhuvurthyar were not acting under the will of the YSE. It works both ways; if Lorath terrorists attacked Yamatai against the Lorath government's will, it makes the terrorists a target, not all of Lor (unless Lor is harboring them, then it's game on).

 

[OsakanOne]

Trust me, Lor wouldn't want to harbour them. But what if civilian families are harbouring them, not any governmental body or private branch of the military?

Individuals too are autonomous when acting away from agreed terms. That would be no excuse for game on.

 

[Wes]

Ultimately, the government is still responsible for what happens in its territory, no matter now many links you throw in the "chain of harboring." If it knowingly fails to act on it, then it's culpable. In such a case, we'd ask the Lorath Matriarchy to capture them. If they refused, that's when we'd have a case to go in and do it ourselves.

 

[OsakanOne]

Does the same apply if Nekovalkyjra are doing the exact same, Wes? Or even any other power Yamatai theoretically has exclusive capabilities and jurisdiction over?

 

[Wes]

Yes, Yamatai might honor valid extradition/prosecution requests from other governments. These would be on a case-by-case basis.