Does the world really need more weapons...?
It can be argued that the replacement of human soldiers with humanoid soldiers/AI machines such as drones, may save the life of military combatants. However from an ethical concern, further analysis into this topic is urgently needed to accurately analyse whether or not AI in warfare, although shielding soldiers, would simultaneously have the same impact on civilian safety for those caught up in a conflict zone – or would it increase their danger? Particularly when even those in the field of AI worry that robotics for this purpose is a step too far. 

When designing AI, we should think of not just what we could do, but also what we should do.
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Programmed with a mission and a target, not with ethics and empathy, what we could be facing with AI in warfare is the potential for autonomous weapons, incapable of compassion or patience for those that 'get in their way'. 

​​Methods of asserting accountability should something go wrong, have not yet been successfully deliberated. Even if the AI weapon was to answer to an operational team, the said team would be removed from the scene, with limited perception of the situation. Who is to blame when something goes wrong, or civilians become a target? The engineers, the military, the government for allowing its deployment? Or the corporation for designing and distributing such a weapon? The distance from the conflict zone for combatants which AI machines in warfare enables, in itself creates the issue of possible indirect disassociation from the reality of the conflict zone which the civilians below the weapons are living. There is also the colossal issue any automation has the potential to be hacked controlled by not its intended.

If human rights are put prominently at the forefront of conversations around emerging innovations, the risk of harm to both human life and ecosystems can be diminished. The creation of dynamite was originally intended for construction purposes, however with having no preemptive ethical evaluation and research into the potential internal and external risks before its dissemination, it is now used by military's and other groups internationally with the aim of causing harm to human life and human rights.  ​
PROTOCOL ADDITIONAL TO THE GENEVA CONVENTIONS​
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METHODS AND MEANS OF WARFARE
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Article 35 — Basic rules
1. In any armed conflict, the right of the Parties to the conflict to choose methods or means of warfare is not unlimited.
2. It is prohibited to employ weapons, projectiles and material and methods of warfare of a nature to cause superfluous injury or unnecessary suffering.
3. It is prohibited to employ methods or means of warfare which are intended, or may be expected, to cause widespread, long-term and severe damage to the natural environment.

Article 36 --
New weapons In the study, development, acquisition or adoption of a new weapon, means or method of warfare, a High Contracting Party is under an obligation to determine whether its employment would, in some or all circumstances, be prohibited by this Protocol or by any other rule of international law applicable to the High Contracting Party
There are developments in the way of search and rescue robotics, which could be very useful to the armed forces to help find people in dangerous situations such as underneath the rubble of a collapsed building. However if the introduction of robotics and AI is not regulated as only in assisting products to the military to aid human life, such as search and rescue robotics, we may be indirectly opening a door to further AI and robotics in warfare which could do the opposite of helping save peoples lives. Without the proper and appropriate regulation, our creations - no matter how noble - may be used against us.
Based on a comparative analysis of the benefits and issues of AI in warfare - from drones to humanoid soldiers - the reality is that there is already an abundance of weaponry used by human beings in warfare which impact peoples human rights. There is yet to be evidence to suggest that the world needs more. ​
AI could be an incredible tool to aid human life and society, should we use it correctly. Using AI for the purposes of warfare would only harm it. ​​

For more information see the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots