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Robo-Wars: The regulation of robotic weapons

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Robotic weapons, whether autonomous or remote controlled, have generated widespread controversy in recent years.

Alex Leveringhaus, James Martin Fellow, Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict, discusses the ethics of autonomous weapons, and in a recent policy paper titled Robo-Wars: The Regulation of Robotic Weapons, urges governments to recognise the increasing prominence of these weapons in contemporary and future forms of warfare and proposes steps towards suitable regulation.

What is an autonomous weapon?

Can the use of autonomous weapons ever be ethically sound?

Download the paper

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Alexander Leveringhaus is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow (ELAC and Delft University of Technology) and James Martin Fellow (Oxford Martin School).
Alexander Leveringhaus is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow (ELAC and Delft University of Technology) and James Martin Fellow (Oxford Martin School).

Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford is a unique, interdisciplinary research community of over 300 scholars working to address the most pressing global challenges and harness the potential opportunities.
Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford is a unique, interdisciplinary research community of over 300 scholars working to address the most pressing global challenges and harness the potential opportunities.


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