In the ‘Stay in Command’ episode today, Major General Mike Smith (Ret.) and John Rodsted from SafeGround explore the issues surrounding the development of Lethal Autonomous Weapons with Artificial Intelligence. The mechanics, ethics and application of this new technology paints a disturbing picture of a world where machines decide who will live and who will die. Today we will talk about leadership both civil and military and the complexities of command responsibility in regards to Lethal Autonomous Weapons.

Major General Michael Smith (ret) has spent his life leading others. He graduated the Royal Military College Duntroon as Dux of his year in 1971 and since commanded everything from a Platoon to a Brigade. His 34 years in the Australian Army had him in some complicated situations.

1. "The Buck Stops Here" [00:02:33]
2. Legal Framework for Commanding in Conflict [00:05:10]
3. Introducing Lethal Autonomous Weapons to the battlefields [00:08:54]
4. The Nature of Wars [00:16:12]
5. A Possible Arms Race? [00:21:51]
6. Technology Development [00:25:05]
7. The Fog of War Continues [00:32:43]
8. Making The Decision To Go To War [00:38:27]
9. Banning these Lethal Autonomous Weapons? [00:41:44]

If you have questions or concerns please contact us via info@safeground.org.au

If you want to know more look for us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Australia Campaign to Stop Killer Robots or use the hashtag #AusBanKillerRobots.

Become part of the movement so we Stay in Command!

For access to this and other episodes along with the full transcription and relevant links and information head to safeground.org.au/podcasts.

John Rodsted with Mike Smith

A Commander’s View on Lethal Autonomous Weapons - Interview with Major General Mike Smith (Ret.) [00:00:00]

John Rodsted: [00:00:25] And today we're speaking with Mike Smith as part of the 'Stay in Command' series. ' Stay in Command', explores the issues surrounding the development of lethal autonomous weapons and artificial intelligence. The mechanics, ethics, and application of this new technology paints, a disturbing picture of a world where machines decide, who will live and who will die.

Mike spent 34 years in the Australian Army and retired a Major General. He graduated from the Royal Military College Duntroon in 1971 as Dux of his year and has had a distinguished military career as an infantry officer commanding all levels from Platoon to Brigade Commander.

He served as Australia's Defence Advisor in Cambodia in 1994. And throughout 1999 was Director General for East Timor. He was then appointed as the First Deputy Force Commander of the United Nations' Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) in 2000 and 2001. In recognition of this, he was promoted to an Officer in the Order of Australia.

After the army Mike became the CEO of the Australian refugee agency Austcare from 2002 until 2008. He then became the founding Executive Director of the Australian Government's Civil-Military Center from 2008 until late 2011. He then served with the United Nations Support Mission in Libya for 12 months as the Director of Security Sector Reform. He's the immediate Past President of the United Nations Association of Australia and is the current Chair of the Gallipoli Scholarship Fund and a Non-Executive Director of the Institute for Economics and Peace.

Mike holds a master's degree in...