The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Actor Yoo Ah-in appears for questioning over alleged drug use

  • 3

    ANALYSISTesla, BYD's price cuts unnerve LGES, Samsung, SK

  • 5

    Yoo Ah-in appears before police over alleged use of illegal drugs

  • 7

    US aircraft carrier to visit Busan amid NK provocations

  • 9

    Dreams come true: TXT mesmerizes 21,000 fans at KSPO Dome

  • 11

    Chun Doo-hwan's grandson apprehended at Incheon Int'l Airport over drug use

  • 13

    Clock ticks for China's massive repatriation of N. Korean defectors

  • 15

    Families of foreign construction workers can receive retirement pay: court

  • 17

    N. Korea fires 2 SRBMs toward East Sea; US aircraft carrier due in S. Korea for joint training

  • 19

    Local bank stocks hit by shockwaves from SVB, CS collapses

  • 2

    SK chief's estranged wife sues his new partner for compensation

  • 4

    4 young Nigerian siblings killed in house fire in Ansan

  • 6

    One of two Kazakhstanis who fled Incheon Int'l Airport nabbed

  • 8

    Revised Japanese textbooks distort wartime forced labor, catching Korea off guard

  • 10

    Will April releases revive Korean cinema? Films to look out for in April

  • 12

    Korean crypto investors want Do Kwon punished in US

  • 14

    TEMPLE ADVENTURESHaedong Yonggung Temple prospers on Busan's coast

  • 16

    Gimpo-China flights recover to pre-pandemic levels

  • 18

    Actor Yoo Ah-in once again apologizes for alleged drug use

  • 20

    Nongshim plans to build plant in eastern US region

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
Wed, March 29, 2023 | 19:05
Tech
Hanwha, KAIST to develop AI weapons
Posted : 2018-02-25 18:57
Updated : 2018-02-25 18:57
Jun Ji-hye
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
The WildCat robot, manufactured by U.S. robotics company Boston Dynamics, is the world's fastest free-running robot with four legs, capable of running at 32 kilometers per hour. The development of the robot that can be used in the battlefield was funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Pentagon's research arm. Noel Sharkey, a professor of artificial intelligence and robotics at the University of Sheffield, said, 'We do not know what military purpose it (the WildCat) will serve but certainly it is a step towards a high-speed ground robot that could be weaponized to hunt and kill,' according to UPI. / Courtesy of Boston Dynamics
The WildCat robot, manufactured by U.S. robotics company Boston Dynamics, is the world's fastest free-running robot with four legs, capable of running at 32 kilometers per hour. The development of the robot that can be used in the battlefield was funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Pentagon's research arm. Noel Sharkey, a professor of artificial intelligence and robotics at the University of Sheffield, said, "We do not know what military purpose it (the WildCat) will serve but certainly it is a step towards a high-speed ground robot that could be weaponized to hunt and kill," according to UPI. / Courtesy of Boston Dynamics

Controversy remains on whether autonomous arms are really necessary

By Jun Ji-hye

Hanwha Systems, the country's leading defense business, and state-run science research university Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have launched a project to co-develop artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to be applied to military weapons, joining the global competition to develop autonomous arms.

The two parties recently opened a joint research center at KAIST, where researchers from the university and Hanwha will carry out various studies into how technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution can be utilized on future battlefields.

Twenty-five researchers from KAIST will participate in the center, while the defense arm of Hanwha Group will dispatch its researchers in accordance with subjects of research, according to a PR official from the firm.

AI arms, which would search for and eliminate targets without human control, are called the third revolution in the battleground after gunpowder and nuclear weapons.

Such weapons would include an AI-based missile that can control its speed and altitude on its own and detect an enemy radar fence in real time while in flight. AI-equipped unmanned submarines and armed quadcopters would also be among autonomous arms.

The Hanwha official said the joint research center will focus on four tasks by priority _ developing an AI-based command system, an AI algorithm for an unmanned sub's navigation, an AI-based aviation training system and an AI-based object-tracking technique.

"Our goal is to complete such developments by the end of the year," the official said.

Chang Si-kweon, CEO of Hanwha Systems, said his company is well-prepared to lead the development of defense technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, based on its advanced skills and achievements it has made so far in the area of defense electronics.

"We will make our full efforts and keenly cooperate with KAIST to provide innovative AI technologies to our customers," he said. "We will also work to secure technology competitiveness in global markets."

Global AI experts boycott KAIST over 'killer robots'
Global AI experts boycott KAIST over 'killer robots'
2018-04-05 15:46

The Korean firm's recent achievements include the development of active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. It will be supplied to the nation's KF-X project designed to build 4.5-generation indigenous fighters by 2026 to replace the Air Force's aging fleet of F-4s and F-5s. The firm unveiled its first prototype in July.

Major countries such as the United States and Russia have already been in competition to develop AI weapons.

Washington has reportedly applied AI features to its new, long-range anti-ship missiles that will replace the Harpoon. For its part, the Pentagon is increasingly testing experimental AI technologies from drone swarms and ground robots to naval ships.

Russia's Tass news agency reported the country is developing an AI-equipped guided missile. The CEO of Russia's tech firm Kronstadt Group, Armen Isaakyan, also said last year Moscow was working to develop AI technologies to be applied to unmanned aerial vehicles that could one day form "swarms of drones."

Still, whether or not autonomous arms development is really necessary is a controversial issue.

Advocates for AI weapons say such arms can help reduce defense costs and casualties in warfare.

On the other hand, more researchers, including theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking and Tesla founder Elon Musk, are raising their voice against the development of AI weapons.

The objectors say AI weapons will eventually result in large-scale armed clashes between countries or cultures. Plus, humans could lose control of AI arms at some point.

AI researchers, who participated in the International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI) held in Buenos Aires in 2015, announced an open letter at the opening of the conference, calling for a ban on offensive autonomous weapons beyond meaningful human control.

Noting that autonomous weapons could be developed comparatively easily, compared to nuclear arms that need a great deal of money and hard-to-obtain raw materials, the researchers said once developed, such weapons "will become ubiquitous and cheap for all significant military powers to mass-produce."

This would allow AI weapons to be dealt on the black market and fall into the hands of terrorists and dictators, they said, adding that such weapons would be used for tasks such as "assassinations, destabilizing nations, subduing populations and selectively killing a particular ethnic group."

Mindful of such controversy, the United States sticks to a position that despite AI arms development, human control should not be abandoned, meaning AI weapons could monitor and judge battlefield conditions, but only humans could press a button to attack.

Washington's development of robots for military use is taking place based on the concept of intelligence augmentation (IA), not AI. This also reflects the position that humans should make the final decision, while robots are used to conduct reconnaissance missions or dispose of explosives.

Fred Kennedy, deputy director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Tactical Technology Office, the Pentagon's research arm, has made clear the Pentagon's goal, saying, "Autonomy is going to be our asymmetric approach to how we fight," according to Military.com.



Emailjjh@ktimes.com Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
Top 10 Stories
1Revised Japanese textbooks distort wartime forced labor, catching Korea off guardRevised Japanese textbooks distort wartime forced labor, catching Korea off guard
2Clock ticks for China's massive repatriation of N. Korean defectors Clock ticks for China's massive repatriation of N. Korean defectors
3Gold price nears all-time high amid financial jitters Gold price nears all-time high amid financial jitters
4Ramsar wetland in Han River cleaned up for protected birdlife Ramsar wetland in Han River cleaned up for protected birdlife
5BMW launches new XM BMW launches new XM
6Civic groups in Gwangju await meeting with Chun Doo-hwan's grandson Civic groups in Gwangju await meeting with Chun Doo-hwan's grandson
7CJ CheilJedang sees chicken as next big seller after frozen dumplingCJ CheilJedang sees chicken as next big seller after frozen dumpling
8North Korea unveils tactical nuclear warheads North Korea unveils tactical nuclear warheads
92024 budget to focus on tackling low birthrate 2024 budget to focus on tackling low birthrate
10Over 1,000 financially vulnerable Koreans apply for new emergency gov't loans Over 1,000 financially vulnerable Koreans apply for new emergency gov't loans
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Dreams come true: TXT mesmerizes 21,000 fans at KSPO Dome Dreams come true: TXT mesmerizes 21,000 fans at KSPO Dome
2Will April releases revive Korean cinema? Films to look out for in April Will April releases revive Korean cinema? Films to look out for in April
3'My ID is Gangnam Beauty' to be adapted into live action series in Thailand 'My ID is Gangnam Beauty' to be adapted into live action series in Thailand
4[INTERVIEW] Choi Min-sik, Lee Dong-hwi on creating Korean-style noir with 'Big Bet' INTERVIEWChoi Min-sik, Lee Dong-hwi on creating Korean-style noir with 'Big Bet'
5Ra Mi-ran, Lee Re to lead fantasy drama 'The Mysterious Candy Store' Ra Mi-ran, Lee Re to lead fantasy drama 'The Mysterious Candy Store'
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group