Russian ‘Skynet’ to lead military robots on the battlefield

[Syt]

https://www.rt.com/news/319082-russia-military-artificial-intelligence/

Russian 'Skynet' to lead military robots on the battlefield

In a step towards creating independent artificial intelligence comparable to Skynet from the 'Terminator' franchise, a Russian company has successfully tested software capable of undertaking decisions and carrying them out without any human intervention.

The United Instrument Manufacturing Corporation (OPK), an integral part of the Rostec arms corporation, says it has developed the Unicum (Latin for 'the only one') software package that gives military or civilian robots enough artificial intelligence to perform complicated tasks completely on their own.

READ MORE: 'Robots replacing soldiers won't make anybody safer'

Powering a group of up to 10 robotic complexes, the Unicum artificial intelligence (AI) communicates and distributes 'roles' among the robots, chooses the 'commander' of the robotic task force and assigns combat mission to each individual machine.

It can locate targets, choose dominating positions on a battlefield, request target elimination validation from human operators and eliminate the targets. It is also capable of automatically requesting replacements for disabled machines.

READ MORE: Prepare to be Terminated: Russia readies first robot tank, shows off Armata at arms expo

"This is the first [AI] system of that quality that has successfully completed the tests and has been passed on to the client. The technology is being readied for installation on real life robotic systems, both civilian and in the military, including unmanned aerial vehicles," OPK Deputy Director Sergey Skokov said.

"The software system has passed all the [governmental] commissions," Skokov stressed.

READ MORE: Russian combat android will be able to run by the end of year, developer says

The Unicum AI could be installed on any robotic system, no matter where it is used: on the ground, in the air or out at sea. It has the ability to act independently or in groups.

The developers claim their AI could exclude humans from taking part in the actions of robots altogether.

READ MORE: Russia develops 7-ton universal armored robotic platform

"With Unicum, the robots will be capable of executing tasks independently, to see and evaluate the situation, plotting new courses as well as communicating with other machines. In fact, this is yet another step to the creation of fully-fledged artificial intelligence, enabling mechanisms with nearly human capabilities," Skokov said.

[Brazen]

Heh, "Unicum".

[Tamas]

Heh, "Unicum".

[Syt]

Unikum is used in German if someone is "a real character."

[Berkut]

While it is easy to dismiss this kind of thing, it does illuminate something more worrisome.

It won't be the US who takes risks in AI empowerment, especially in the military. We already have a dominant military position, so have little reason to take risks.

It will be those who decide that the only way to overcome the US led hegemony on conventional force is to take radical risks who will contemplate things like "Hey, lets actually let a computer make decisions about shoot/no-shoot" and the attendant risks in that line of research.

And do not kid yourselves, there are risks here. There is nothing magical about human intelligence that makes it impossible to supersede.

[Malthus]

Well, at least they aren't pursuing that ape/human hybrid army. 

[Valmy]

While it is easy to dismiss this kind of thing, it does illuminate something more worrisome.

It won't be the US who takes risks in AI empowerment, especially in the military. We already have a dominant military position, so have little reason to take risks.

It will be those who decide that the only way to overcome the US led hegemony on conventional force is to take radical risks who will contemplate things like "Hey, lets actually let a computer make decisions about shoot/no-shoot" and the attendant risks in that line of research.

And do not kid yourselves, there are risks here. There is nothing magical about human intelligence that makes it impossible to supersede.

Even if the US did develop it, everybody else would have within a few decades. That is how military technology works.

[Syt]

Even if the US did develop it, everybody else would have within a few decades. That is how military technology works.

In some countries there would be more ethical concerns than in others, though.

[Valmy]

Even if the US did develop it, everybody else would have within a few decades. That is how military technology works.

In some countries there would be more ethical concerns than in others, though.

So the ethical violations would happen a few decades later.

[Josquius]

Clearly the Americans and the Chinese must make their own equivalents. I AM sure that would be a good idea.