The Price of Progress: South Korean university boycotted for developing "Killer Robots"...

"South Korea is seeking to be forerunner in adopting new technologies, such as AI, which it hopes can serve as a catalyst for long-term economic growth."

As we live an era in which society is continuously striving to integrate technology into every aspect of our lives, we need to keep in mind that what we can do is not necessarily synonymous with what we should do. This is especially concerning when you consider the development of artificially intelligent weapons. As a recent example, a South Korean university is feeling the backlash of being too ambitious in its AI research:

More than 50 of the world’s top robotics experts are boycotting one of South Korea’s leading universities, KAIST, over its decision to open an artificial intelligence weapons lab they fear can develop “killer robots”. 

The academic boycott, which was announced on Wednesday, comes ahead of talks at the UN next week in Geneva over challenges posed by lethal autonomous weapons. Some 22 nations have already called for an outright and pre-emptive ban on such weapons, which experts worry will trigger rounds of escalation.

Now, autonomous weapons have been around for a while. We have missile defense systems that can rapidly detect and neutralize oncoming missiles. We even have drones with facial recognition software. But when people are deliberately looking to make progress in developing AI technology that can kill humans without the operation of other humans, it might seem that an ethical line is being crossed. All of this for the sake of profiting from un/under-explored territory.

Do you think economic progress justifies the creation of weaponized AI?

What is your perspective on the ethical implications?

Any other opinions on the issue?