Belgian scientists letter on autonomous weapons
“As members of the Belgian artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics research community, we wish to thank the Belgian government and parliament for its interest in the broad field of AI and robotics.
As you know, AI and robotics research have made spectacular advances during the last decade. Soon we will see self-driving cars, autonomous aircraft and many useful applications of these technologies. These technologies can greatly contribute to our society as a whole. As with all technological developments, AI and robotics can have positive and negative applications. Therefore these transformations actual and potential demand our understanding and, increasingly, our heightened moral attention.
As members of the Belgian artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics research community, we express our deep concern about the development of fully autonomous weapon systems, which lack meaningful human control over the critical functions of targeting and engagement in every attack.
We join similar efforts by international colleagues and CEOs in August 2017 and July 2015, and by researchers in Australia and Canada in November 2017. Fully autonomous weapon systems threaten to become a third revolution in warfare. The development and use of such systems pose serious threats to international law, as well as to human rights and human dignity. Once developed, these weapon systems will lower the threshold to become involved in armed conflict, while allowing armed conflict to be fought at a scale greater than ever. The development of these systems will likely cause expensive arms races and lead to regional and global insecurity. Autonomous weapons are likely to proliferate rapidly, and could initiate or escalate conflicts without human deliberation. Moreover, the development of such weapon systems raises significant accountability questions, as it is unclear who could be held accountable for any misbehaviour of such weapon systems.
Urgent action to address these concerns and prevent proliferation is needed. Once this Pandora's box is opened, it will be very hard to close. We therefore call upon the Belgian government and parliament to join international efforts to preventively prohibit such weapon systems, and to resolve as a nation never to develop, acquire or deploy such weapon systems.”
The letter is still open for signatures. If you are a Belgian scientist in the field of artificial intelligence, robotics or computer sciences you can sign here:
The letter is signed by the following scientists
Titel | Name | Affiliation |
Professor | Tony Belpaeme | Universiteit van Gent |
Professor | Johan Suykens | KU Leuven |
Professor Emeritus | Luc Steels | Vrije Universiteit Brussel |
FNRS Research Director | Marco Dorigo | Université libre de Bruxelles |
Professor | Bram Vanderborght | Vrije Universiteit Brussel |
Prof. Dr. ir. | Herman Bruyninckx | KU Leuven |
Professor | Pieter Abbeel | UC Berkeley |
Professor Emeritus | Joos Vandewalle | KU Leuven/KVAB |
Professor emeritus | Hendrik Van Brussel | KU Leuven |
Professor | Daniel De Schreye | KU Leuven |
Professor | Marc Pollefeys | ETH Zurich |
Professor | Luc De Raedt | KU Leuven |
Professor | Mark Coeckelbergh | University of Vienna |
Professor | Frank Dellaert | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Professor | Hendrik Blockeel | KU Leuven |
Professor | Aleksandra Pizurica | Ghent University |
Professor | Tom Lenaerts | Université Libre de Bruxelles |
Professor | Tinne Tuytelaars | KU Leuven |
Professor | Frank Van Eynde | University of Leuven |
Professor | Dirk Van Compernolle | KU Leuven |
Professor | Pierre Dupont | University of Louvain |
Professor | Bernard Manderick | Vrije Universiteit Brussel |
Professor | Gianluca Bontempi | Université Libre de Bruxelles |
Professor Emeritus | Hugo De Man | K.U.Leuven/imec |
Professor Emeritus | Pierre Verbaeten | KULeuven |
Professor | Tom Holvoet | KU Leuven |
Professor | Yves Moreau | KU Leuven |
Professor | Marian Verhelst | KU Leuven |
Professor | Joris De Schutter | KU Leuven |
Professor | Pascal Van Hentenryck | University of Michigan |
Professor | Liesbet Van der Perre | KU Leuven |
Professor | Sofie Pollin | KU Leuven |
Professor | Guy Vandenbosch | KU Leuven |
Professor | Emmanuel Van Lil | KU Leuven |
Director, The AI Lab | Eleonore Pauwels | Woodrow Wilson International Center |
Professor, Dean | Vincent Englebert | University of Namur |
Professor | Philippe Goujon | University of Namur |
Professor | Michaël Petit | University of Namur |
Professor | Pierre-Yves Schobbens | Université de Namur |
Professor | Claire Lobet-Maris | University of Namur |
Professor | Giovanni Samaey | KU Leuven |
Professor | Bettina Berendt | KU Leuven |
Professor | Greet Vanden Berghe | KU Leuven |
Professor | Marc Van Barel | KU Leuven |
Professor | Patrick De Causmaecker | KU Leuven |
Professor | Roel Wuyts | imec/ KU Leuven |
Professor | Raf Vandebril | KU Leuven |
Professor | Wim Vanhoof | Université de Namur |
Associate professor | Kris Aerts | KU Leuven |
Research Manager | Wannes Meert | DTAI - KU Leuven |
Research Director | Jan Ramon | INRIA / KULeuven |
Senior Researcher | Olga Vybornova | Université catholique de Louvain |
Lab manager | Johan Loeckx | Vrije Universiteit Brussel |
Assist. Prof. | Emmanuel Vander Poorten | Dept. Mech. Engineering, KU Leuven |
Dr. | Jan Tobias Muehlberg | KU Leuven |
Dr. ir. | Anton Dries | KU Leuven |
Dr. | Pieter Leyman | KU Leuven |
Dr. | William Thompson | Vrije Universiteit Brussel |
Dr. | Yara Khaluf | Universiteit Gent |
Dr. | Willy Van Overschée | KVAB |
Dr | Mihail Mihaylov | Vrije Universiteit Brussels |
Dr. | Katrien Beuls | Vrije Universiteit Brussel |
Dr. | Thomas Stützle | Université libre de Bruxelles |
Ir. | Christof Mahieu | Universiteit Gent |
Ir. | Tim van Hamme | KU Leuven |
Ir. | Matthias van der Hallen | KU Leuven |
Dr. Ir. | Jo Devriendt | Ku Leuven |
Ir. | Dries Van Daele | KU Leuven |
Dr. | Yara Khaluf | Universiteit Gent |
Hoofddocent | Claudia Diaz | KU Leuven |
Researcher | Paul Van Eecke | Vrije Universiteit Brussel |
Researcher | Pierre Pagacz | University of Namur |
Researcher | Jerry Jacques | University of Namur |
Researcher | Nathalie Grandjean | University of Namur |
Ir. | Vincent Nys | KU Leuven |
PhD | Peter Beyls | University of Plymouth |
PhD | Sabine Geldof | University Antwerpen |
PhD | Gianni Borghesan | KU Leuven |
PhD Student | Marnix Van Soom | Vrije Universiteit Brussel |
PhD student | Timothy Verstraeten | Vrije Universiteit Brussel |
PhD student | Isel Grau | Vrije Universiteit Brussel |
PhD student | Anna Harutyunyan | Vrije Universiteit Brussel |
PhD student | Yannick Jadoul | Vrije Universiteit Brussel |
PhD student | Kerem Eryilmaz | Vrije Universiteit Brussel |
PhD Student | Amin Timany | KU Leuven |
PhD Student | Michiel Van Lancker | KU Leuven |
PhD candidate | Emad Heydari Beni | KU Leuven |
PhD Student | Nitesh Kumar | KU Leuven |
PhD Student | Mahmoud Mohsen | KU Leuven |
PhD Student | Elia Van Wolputte | KU Leuven |
PhD Student | Luca Fenzi | KU Leuven |
PhD Student | Stefano Teso | KU Leuven |
Postdoctoral | Diederik M. Roijers | Vrije Universiteit Brussel |
Postdoctoral | Enea Scioni | KU Leuven |
Other disciplines
Title | Name | Affiliation |
Professor | Walter Schaeken | KU Leuven |
Professor | Joseph Van Landuyt | Universiteit Antwerpen |
Professor | Steven De Feyter | KU Leuven |
CEO | Dirk Fransaer | VITO |
Professor | Dirk Heirbaut | Ghent University |
Professor | Marc Boone | University of Ghent |
Professor | Jean Poesen | KU Leuven |
Professor | An Jacobs | Vrije Universiteit Brussel |
Professor | Koen Matthijs | KU Leuven |
Professor emeritus | Symoens Hilde | Ghent University |
Professor emeritus | Willy Clarysse | KU Leuven |
Professor emeritus | Jan Boutmans | KU Leuven |
Professor | Yves Van de Peer | Ghent University |
Professor | Pieter Bergé | KU Leuven |
Professor | Jan Wouters | KU Leuven |
Professor emeritus | De Ridder Leo | University of Gent |
Professor | Bart Keunen | University of Ghent |
Professor emeritus | August Coomans | Ghent University |
Professor emeritus | Itena Veretennicoff | KVAB & VUB |
Professor | Maximiliaan Martens | UGent |
Professor | Eric Demeester | KU Leuven |
Researcher | Jorik De Waen | KU Leuven |
Researcher | Nathalie Van Raemdonck | Vrije Universiteit Brussel |