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


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)