'Robots In James Cameron's Film The Terminator'

In James Cameron’s 1984 film, The Terminator, Arnold Schwarzenegger portrays a humanoid robot who travels back in time with a motive to kill. Since the films release, killer robots have been a frightening fantasy that loom over the heads of its watchers. The idea of a machine that exists purely to seek and destroy seems absurd or at least not viable in the imminent future. However, the reality of an automated assassin may be closer than previously thought. Recent developments in robotics have allowed for an increase in the use of robots in medicine, exploration, and even in military tactics. Consequently, the world has seemingly entered into a new “arms race” that pushes the limits of technology. Visions of a robotic army fighting on behalf

However, the robots used in the military have yet to fulfill this fantasy with most being quite simpler machines that have been used for some time. In fact, the use of military robots can be dated as far back as World War II with Germany’s remote control demolition tank, Goliath. Today, military robots are utilized to perform tasks that may be unsafe for soldiers to perform such as locating and handling explosives. For example, the United States military operated MARCbots during the Iraq war. These low-cost bots were created specifically for the US Army to patrol for possible explosives, coming equipped with a camera to explore potentially dangerous areas (MarcBot). MARCbots, as well as several other types of robots, including unmanned vehicles and sentry guns, are actively used within many militaries around the world. Though the robots currently used are not fully autonomous humanoids as seen in The Terminator, something similar may be on its

Not only would technologically advanced countries have a range of advantages and more refined weaponry, they may also use their technological skill set to successfully manipulate other autonomous beings. This brings the issue of security into the limelight. What is to stop enemy forces from hacking an autonomous bot, or several, and penetrating the unit from within by either attacking it or disabling the bots? Put simply, hacking may become crucial in winning a war. Additionally, another security risk exists outside of the military. Yes, these robots may serve a great purpose on the battlefield, but outside the realm of combat they could pose an immense threat. In their open letter against the use of artificial intelligence in the military, robotics experts expressed their concern if the bots were to end up in the wrong hands. They claim that the materials to create these robots are cheap and readily available, making them perfect for military mass-production. With so many bots being produced, it’s easy to expect for them to begin showing up on the black market for anyone to purchase (Open). More frighteningly, the robots could end up with terrorists and used for inconceivable acts of violence. Autonomous robots would make terrorism and organized crime significantly easier, as the acts can be performed at a distance and anonymity can be