Mike and Josh talk about autonomous weapon systems (AWS) and their use on the field of battle. They consider firstly, what we mean by AWS, and how the definition varies by nation. They then consider some of the ethical issues associated with AWS, and semi-automated systems such as the drones used to kill terror suspects.

Useful links:

* Josh’s blog, The Law of Killer Robots

* Mike’s article on killer robots featured in The Conversation

* Podcast: Autonomous Vehicles

* Podcast: The Ethics of Autonomous Vehicles