Latest news with #LAWS
CTV News
6 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
Dare 2B Challenged inspires local women and girls
An energetic group of over 320 women and girls took part in the annual Dare 2B Challenged run/walk Sunday morning at Holiday Beach. The event is a celebration of strength, resilience, and female empowerment through sport. Participants with a wide range of athletic backgrounds laced up their shoes to raise funds for LAWS (Ladies Active in Wellness and Sport), an organization committed to fostering a supportive culture for females pursuing a healthy and active lifestyle. Event Director Barb Pollard, who started the initiative, shared her personal motivation for launching the run. 'I grew up without an opportunity to be involved in sport,' Pollard said. 'I want to create an opportunity for young girls and young women to come out and participate in events like this. They challenge themselves a little bit, and then we all feel good and we can all celebrate at the end of the race.' The event has become a meaningful tradition for many families, including Tara Cohoe and her daughter Teah Durocher, who participated for the fourth consecutive year. This year, they dedicated their run to Kelly Steele, a passionate runner currently facing health challenges. 'This race is really important for us for our mental health,' said Cohoe. 'Today we ran for Kelly Steele because she's our inspirational runner, and we're carrying the torch until she can carry it back.' For Durocher, the event's significance goes far beyond physical activity. 'Bringing people up. Bringing your self-esteem up. It really helps me to push myself to do better,' she said.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
UN revisits 'killer robot' regulations as concerns about AI-controlled weapons grow
Several nations met at the United Nations (U.N.) on Monday to revisit a topic that the international body has been discussing for over a decade: the lack of regulations on lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS), often referred to as "killer robots." This latest round of talks comes as wars rage in Ukraine and Gaza. While the meeting was held behind closed doors, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres released a statement doubling down on his 2026 deadline for a legally binding solution to threats posed by LAWS. "Machines that have the power and discretion to take human lives without human control are politically unacceptable, morally repugnant and should be banned by international law," Guterres said in a statement. "We cannot delegate life-or-death decisions to machines," he later added. Former Trump Official Slams Un Reform Efforts As 'Eight And A Half Years Late' International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President Mirjana Spoljaric delivered a statement to nations participating in Monday's meeting. Spoljaric expressed the ICRC's support for efforts to regulate LAWS but warned that technology is evolving faster than regulations, making threats posed by the systems "more worrying." Read On The Fox News App "Machines with the power and discretion to take lives without human involvement threaten to transform warfare in ways with grave humanitarian consequences. They also raise fundamental ethical and human rights concerns. All humanity will be affected," Spoljaric said. Nuclear Watchdog Urges 'Trust But Verify' That Iran Engages In Good-faith Negotiations Artificial intelligence is not necessarily a prerequisite for something to be considered an autonomous weapon, according to the U.N., as not all autonomous systems fully rely on AI. Some can use pre-programmed functions for certain tasks. However, AI "could further enable" autonomous weapons systems, the U.N. said. Vice President of the Conservative Partnership Institute Rachel Bovard, however, says that while regulation of autonomous weapons is necessary, the U.S. needs to be cautious when it comes to the development of international law. "AI is the wild west and every country is trying to determine the rules of the road. Some regulation will be imperative to preserving our humanity. When it comes to international law, however, the U.S. should proceed with caution," Bovard told Fox News Digital. "As we have learned with everything from trade to health, subjecting our national sovereignty to international dictates can have lasting unintended consequences. If existing international law is sufficient at the moment, that is what should govern." Countries in the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons have been meeting since 2014 to discuss a possible full ban on LAWS that operate without human control and to regulate those with more human involvement, according to Reuters. In 2023, more than 160 nations backed a U.N. resolution calling on countries across the globe to address the risks posed by LAWS. However, there is currently no international law specifically regulating article source: UN revisits 'killer robot' regulations as concerns about AI-controlled weapons grow
Fox News
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
UN revisits 'killer robot' regulations as concerns about AI-controlled weapons grow
Several nations met at the United Nations (U.N.) on Monday to revisit a topic that the international body has been discussing for over a decade: the lack of regulations on lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS), often referred to as "killer robots." This latest round of talks comes as wars rage in Ukraine and Gaza. While the meeting was held behind closed doors, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres released a statement doubling down on his 2026 deadline for a legally binding solution to threats posed by LAWS. "Machines that have the power and discretion to take human lives without human control are politically unacceptable, morally repugnant and should be banned by international law," Guterres said in a statement. "We cannot delegate life-or-death decisions to machines," he later added. International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President Mirjana Spoljaric delivered a statement to nations participating in Monday's meeting. Spoljaric expressed the ICRC's support for efforts to regulate LAWS but warned that technology is evolving faster than regulations, making threats posed by the systems "more worrying." "Machines with the power and discretion to take lives without human involvement threaten to transform warfare in ways with grave humanitarian consequences. They also raise fundamental ethical and human rights concerns. All humanity will be affected," Spoljaric said. Artificial intelligence is not necessarily a prerequisite for something to be considered an autonomous weapon, according to the U.N., as not all autonomous systems fully rely on AI. Some can use pre-programmed functions for certain tasks. However, AI "could further enable" autonomous weapons systems, the U.N. said. Vice President of the Conservative Partnership Institute Rachel Bovard, however, says that while regulation of autonomous weapons is necessary, the U.S. needs to be cautious when it comes to the development of international law. "AI is the wild west and every country is trying to determine the rules of the road. Some regulation will be imperative to preserving our humanity. When it comes to international law, however, the U.S. should proceed with caution," Bovard told Fox News Digital. "As we have learned with everything from trade to health, subjecting our national sovereignty to international dictates can have lasting unintended consequences. If existing international law is sufficient at the moment, that is what should govern." Countries in the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons have been meeting since 2014 to discuss a possible full ban on LAWS that operate without human control and to regulate those with more human involvement, according to Reuters. In 2023, more than 160 nations backed a U.N. resolution calling on countries across the globe to address the risks posed by LAWS. However, there is currently no international law specifically regulating LAWS.
Express Tribune
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
AI and the changing character of warfare
Listen to article The nature of war — defined by violence, chance and rationality — remains constant while the character of war — influenced by geopolitics, geo-economics, societal norms and technology — is prone to constant change. Over the decades, despite experiencing several Revolutions in Military Affairs (RMA) — marked by the invention of gunpowder, tanks, aircraft, and nuclear weapons — the phenomena described by the famous Prussian strategist Clausewitz remain relevant. In particular, modern conflicts are witnessing a revolutionary transformation in the nature of warfare, driven by the development and deployment of AI-based weapon systems. Advancements in the field of AI has enabled the introduction of Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems (LAWS) that have the ability to autonomously scan, identify, lock and destroy as well as carry out battle damage assessment over a range of airborne, seaborne and ground based targets with remarkable accuracy. AI-based systems are impacting various domains and influencing decision-making processes at different levels. However, this autonomy often leads to unacceptable collateral damage, posing challenges not only to the desired level of human control but also raising serious concerns about the extent of decision-making autonomy granted to machines. More and more countries and military industrial complexes worldwide are spending billions of dollars and dedicating resources to surpass others in the pursuit of AI-enabled command and control systems. In 2017, the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs carried out a study to identify a growing trend amongst number of countries to pursue and develop the use of autonomous weapon systems. According to the report, the ever-growing trend inherited a real risk of uncontrollable war. Similarly, a study on AI and Urban Operations conducted by the University of South Florida concluded that "the armed forces may soon be able to monitor, strike and kill their opponents and even civilians as will." Ruthless and lethal use of AI-driven targeting system was exemplified by IDF in Gaza. In December 2023, The Guardian revealed that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) used an AI-based targeting system called Hesbora (Gospel) to target more than 100 targets in a single day. According to Aviv Kochavi, the former head of IDF, a human intelligence-based system could only identify up to 50 targets in an entire year. Chief Executive of Israeli Tech firm 'Start up Nation Central' Mr Avi Hasson stated that the "war in Gaza has provided an opportunity for the IDF to test emerging technologies which had never been used in past conflicts." Consequently, IDF destroyed more than 360,000 buildings, indiscriminately killed over 50,000 and injured over 113,500 Palestinians, most of whom were innocent women and children. Ironically, indiscriminate killing of non-combatants is forbidden in the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949. Interestingly, technologically advanced, militarily strong, and economically wealthy countries worldwide are investing heavily in the development or acquisition of AI-based weapon systems. The AI in the Military Global Market Report 2024 projected a 16.6% growth in the global military market for 2024, reflecting a global race to dominate AI-driven military technology. In its New General AI Plan, China declared that "AI is a strategic technology that will lead the future" and aims to be the world leader in AI by 2030. Similarly, the US has adopted the "Third Offset Strategy" to invest heavily in AI, autonomous weapons, and robotics, vowing to maintain its technological edge. In February 2023, Asia Times reported that the US Department of Defense launched the Autonomous Multi-Domain Adaptive Swarm of Systems project, aimed at developing autonomous drone swarms to overwhelm enemy air defense systems across air, land and sea. In June 2022, Indian Ministry of Defence organised the 'AI in Defence' (AIDef) symposium and introduced 75 AI-based platforms. Indian author and strategist Mr Pravin Sawhney, in his book The Last War, published in August 2022, has amplified the decisive role of AI and AI-based autonomous weapons and swam drones in a projected armed conflict between China and India. In the same context, Pakistan has also launched the Centre for AI and Computing (CENTAIC) under the auspices of Pakistan Air Force to spearhead AI development and AI-based integration of various air, land and sea weapon systems into operational and strategic domains. In the South Asian context, given the long-standing enmity under the nuclear overhang, the introduction of AI based LAWS and their unhesitating use could have serious repercussions on the security architecture. In the same context, absence of a comprehensive and regulatory legal framework coupled with non-existence of state monopoly further complicates the security situation. To gauge the destructive and dangerous nature of AI-driven command and control systems, a group of researchers from four US universities simulated a war scenario in January 2024, using five different AI programs, including OpenAI and Meta's Llama. The results were shocking for both scientists and advocates of AI-based LAWS. The study's findings revealed that all simulated models selected nuclear weapons as their first choice of weapon over other options, including diplomatic or peace initiatives, when confronting adversaries. The widespread availability of AI technology, coupled with the absence of global or state-level regulations and monopolies, makes it vulnerable to exploitation by non-state actors. This situation calls for the initiation of collective action and the implementation of a stringent regulatory framework at both the global and national levels. Concerted global efforts are needed to legally and ethically advance AI-driven initiatives. Recognising the significance and urgency of this issue, UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasised in his address during the 2023 New Agenda for Peace policy briefing that "there is a necessity to conclude a legally binding instrument to prohibit the development and deployment of autonomous weapon systems by 2026."
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia conducts arguments before Marion County high schoolers
FAIRMONT, (WBOY) — The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia came to the Marion County Courthouse Wednesday to hear arguments in front of nearly 200 local high school students who are involved in the Legal Advancement for West Virginia Students (LAWS) civics education program. During the fall and spring semesters each year, the WV Supreme Court of Appeals travels across the state to participate in this program. 'I think informed citizenry is a bedrock of our democracy,' said Chief Justice William R. Wooton. 'This is an ideal opportunity for students to learn how the appellate portion of our judicial system works and I think from the feedback we got, the students appreciate the opportunity.' Wooton said that for this event, the circuit court of Marion County 'went out of their way' to provide the state's Supreme Court with an ideal forum to hold court. 'Most of these LAWS events take place at schools in an auditorium but because of the unique nature of this courtroom, we wanted to do it here and they made that happen,' he added. The high schools involved in these LAWS events typically reach out to local attorneys with the assistance of local judges to help prepare. Wooton stated that these attorneys then come into the schools to meet with students in advance, educating them on what to expect and the issues that will be discussed. The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia was tasked with picking cases for this event that they felt would be a good fit, which Wooton described to be challenging. He added that in the past, they've learned the hard way that certain cases, especially those dealing with minute points of law like worker's compensation, don't seem to interest high school students. Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia comes to WVU College of Law Wooton said that the cases they chose for Wednesday's event specifically focused on criminal law, which he feels is something the teenagers could relate to. 'Young people watch television and go to movies, and criminal cases, there are all sort of TV shows about that. So they have some background in it,' he added. During these events, Wooton shared that he and the other Justices are typically impressed by the attentiveness of the students' questions during the Q&A portion. He stated that this is a reflection of all the preparation that is put in beforehand, between the students, teachers and volunteer attorneys that meet with them. However, what's most unique is that this is the first-ever LAWS event to be held inside of a courtroom in the nearly 20 years that it's been occurring, according to Wooton. 'This particular courthouse is historic and the courtroom […] is clearly one of the most beautiful and definitely the largest courtroom in the state.' North Marion Sophomore Riley Parker said that following all of the cases on Wednesday, the attorneys involved sat in the courtroom and broke down everything that was previously presented to provide a better understanding to the students. 'There's so much stuff going on, it can be kind of confusing on what's happening,' she added. 'So, it helps a lot like them re-breaking it down, just understanding,' said Parker. 'So it's really making me realize like how big of a deal like this stuff is, and how [many] different people all have to go into it and what all can happen.' Parker told 12 News that attending this LAWS event made her rethink possibly becoming an attorney or getting involved in the legal field. 'They've [shown] how much like just goes into it, it's not just you come up here and you just answer questions. They really break it down, and they've [shown] us like more depth into what they do,' she said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
