ICRA 2022 Workshop on Addressing Ethical and Technical Challenges in the Development, Use, and Governance of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS)


Updated information can be found here!

Full Tentative Schedule

Friday, May 27th, 2022
7:45am – 8:00am Coffee
8:00am – 8:15am Opening Remarks

8:15 am – 10:15 am – Session 1: Complexity of the Ethical Issues for LAWS

  • Introduction Daniel E. Koditschek (5 mins)
  • Panel (3 – 20 minute talks & 25 minute Q&A):
    • “Autonomous Armed Robots and the Principle of Distinction: Does Robotic Killing Violate the Laws of War?” – Claire Finkelstein
    • “International Legal and Diplomatic Challenges Posed by Autonomous Weapons and AI-Assisted Systems” – Denise Garcia
    • Defining the technical challenges of autonomous weapons systems to address ethical and policy challenges” – Ariel Conn
  • Breakout Discussion 1 (30 min)

10:15am – 10:30am – Break 1: Coffee/snacks

10:30am – 12:30 pm – Session 2: Defining and Refining Challenges for Robotics

  • Introduction Daniel E. Koditschek (5 mins)
  • Panel 2 (3 – 20 minute talks & 25 minute Q&A):
    • “The Neuroethics of LAWS from Neural Networks to Robotics and Back Again” – Jonathan Moreno
    • “Permissible Uncertainty and Meaningful Human Control”  Lisa Miracchi Titus
    • Why Is No One Banning Killer Robots?” – Ryan Gariepy
  • Breakout Discussion 2 (30 min)

12:30pm – 1:45pm Posters and Lunch

1:45pm – 3:45pm –Session 3: Shaping a Disciplinary Response in Robotics  

  • Introduction, “Toward a Robotics-Disciplinary Response to the Emergence of Robotic Weaponry.” – Daniel E. Koditschek (5 mins)
  • Panel (3 – 20 minute talks & 25 minute Q&A)
  • Breakout Discussion 3 (25 min)

3:45pm – 4:00 pm – Break 2: Coffee/snacks

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Working Group Brainstorming Breakout Discussions
5:00pm – 5:15pm – Closing Remarks, Discussion of Next Steps

6:00pm Dinner (selective)