ROUNDUP: Robotics Companies Pledge Not to Arm Robots
Plus AI comes for music and all the Musk-Twitter stuff
You may be confused about who owns robotics company Boston Dynamics, since it has changed hands a few times. Since 2020 it has been owned by Hyundai (before that it was owned by Softbank and Alphabet). That's important to know so that you know who is behind the company that is pushing an open letter to the robotics industry titled "General Purpose Robots Should Not Be Weaponized."
It states that companies who signed it "do not support the weaponization of our advanced-mobility general-purpose robots."
The letter cites a concern based on "a small number of people who have visibly publicized their makeshift efforts to weaponize commercially available robots." That might refer to bombs strapped to DJI drones or a gun mounted on the back of a Unitree dogbot. There was also the time an art collective mounted a paintball gun on Spot.
To that end, the letter pledges not to weaponize "advanced-mobility general-purpose robots or the software we develop that enables advanced robotics" and not to support others who do. It also pledges to develop technologies to reduce the risks of weaponized robots. They called on others to make similar pledges and for governments to develop policies for safe use of robots.
The other company logos at the bottom of the letter besides Boston Dynamics are from Agility Robotics, ANY Robotics, Clearpath Robotics Open Robotics and Unitree, the one company who apparently feels that the word robotics is unnecessary.
The letter also states that, "we are not taking issue with existing technologies that nations and their government agencies use to defend themselves and uphold their laws." Boston Dynamics has marketed its robots to law enforcement and military for non-weaponized uses. For example, the French army has tested using Boston Dynamics' Spot robot for reconnaissance.
The Verge points out that the letter does not include the logo go Ghost Robotics, which markets directly to military. Ghost Robotics robots are being tested by the US Air Force and Department of Homeland Security for patrols. One of its robots was once shown at a trade show with a remote-controlled sniper rifle mounted on it. Ghost Robotics CEO Siren Parikh told TechCrunch at the time "We’re not going to dictate to our government customers how they use the robots." He said the company's only restriction is geographic. It only sells to the US and its allies.
Here are some other stories I worked on this week:
EU Enacts Digital Services Act and Advances USB-C Charging Requirement
AI Comes for Music: The Coming Rise of Text to Music generators
Elon Musk Theoretically Wants to Buy Twitter Again And the Court Case is Delayed Until November
President of the US Signs Order to Enact EU-US Privacy Shield
High-res 3D Resin Printing Gets Fast, and Multilateral
Hyundai, Active and Uber Team up on Autonomous Car Hailing
Bruce Willis Says He Didn't Sell His Image to DeepCake
Paid subscribers can read more from me about them by scrolling below.
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