Microsoft president calls for rules to govern the use of autonomous weapons and facial recognition

According to Microsoft president Brad Smith, governments should urgently consider the ethical questions posed by advancements in the field of lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS). In an interview with The Telegraph, Smith talked about the risks posed by militarised advanced technologies such as LAWS-equipped drones which could be programmed to operate fully or partially autonomously. He noted that such technologies should ‘not be allowed to decide on their own to engage in combat and who to kill’. He also reiterated his call for a Digital Geneva Convention to govern the use of the technology and outline rules to protect both civilians and soldiers. Smith also called for stricter international rules over the use of facial recognition technology, ‘to protect against potential abuse’.