| | Global Campaign to Stop Killer Robots | NZ disarmament campaigns and peace projects  Aotearoa New Zealand
The Campaign to Stop Killer Robots is an international coalition of NGOs working for new international law to ensure meaningful human control over the use of force through a pre-emptive ban on fully autonomous weapon systems (killer robots) - weapon systems designed to select targets and attack independently, without any meaningful level of human control. The Aotearoa New Zealand Campaign is coordinated by Peace Movement Aotearoa. This page has details of how you can get involved, as well as links to the #NZBanKillerRobots petition, updates, resources, and to the global campaign.
We urge New Zealand to:
‣ Take national action to prohibit the development, production and use of lethal autonomous weapon systems in New Zealand
‣ Take international action to support negotiations on a new treaty to retain meaningful human control over the use of force by prohibiting killer robots
How you can get involved in the campaign
Resources for taking action
- Youth Call for Action: Add your name here
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- Help shape the future: #TeamHuman vs #KillerRobots Survey, Discussion Points, and Youth Focus Group opportunity, July 2021
Updates, reports and events
- Submissions on the 'Act Now on Killer Robots' Petition to Parliament, released December 2021
‣ Aotearoa New Zealand Campaign to Stop Killer Robots submission
‣ AI Researchers Call for Action on Autonomous Weapons open letter
‣ More soon ...
- Human Rights Day: Trans-Tasman #BanKillerRobots Forum, 10 December 2021 ‣ Share on Facebook ‣ Re-Tweet ‣ Register here
- 'NZ killer robots policy welcome at critical juncture', Aotearoa New Zealand Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 30 November 2021
‣ Share on Facebook ‣ Re-Tweet ‣ Formatted for printing
Media coverage ‣ 'NZ killer robots policy welcome at critical juncture', Scoop News, 30 November 2021 ‣ 'NZ to push for autonomous weapons treaty', Sam Sachdeva / Newsroom, 30 November 2021
New policy: 'Government commits to international effort to ban and regulate killer robots', Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control, 30 November 2021 ‣ New Zealand's Policy Position
- Youth Call for Action on Killer Robots ‣ Share on Facebook ‣ Re-Tweet
‣ Add your name
- Online: Killer robots petition to parliament, Handover on 29 September 2021
Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems, 24 September to 1 October 2021
- Ethical Considerations: Statement by New Zealand, 24 September 2021 (Audio, MP3 file)
- 'Diplomatic meeting on killer robots to open at the United Nations on Monday: Amid growing political leadership, discussions enter a critical phase', Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 21 September 2021
- Revised GGE Chair’s paper, 20 September 2021 (previous Chair's papers are available in the August 2021 section below)
‣ Response, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots
‣ Joint submission, Austria, Brazil, Chile, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico and New Zealand
- Reaching Critical Will's CCW Reports will be available here
Killer Robots Campaign Update: What You Can Do, Aotearoa New Zealand Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 14 September 2021
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'Safeguarding Human Control over Autonomous Weapons Systems' virtual conference, Austrian Ministry for European and International Affairs, 15 and 16 September (1am to 3.30am, 16 and 17 September NZST)
Killer robots worry most Kiwis, The Dominion Post, 13 August 2021
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Dialogue on Autonomous Weapons Systems and Human Control, NZ Parliament, 10 August 2021 Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems, 3 to 13 August 2021
- Chair's documents ‣ Papers, 6 August and 9 August 2021
‣ Guiding Questions, 12 August 2021
- Statements by New Zealand, 10 to 13 August 2021
- Statement by the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 12 August 2021
- Statement by the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 10 August 2021
- Statement by the International Committee for Robot Arms Control, 10 August 2021
- Statement by New Zealand, 6 August 2021
- Statement by New Zealand, 5 August 2021
- Statement by the International Committee for Robot Arms Control, 4 August 2021
- 'Killer Robots: Urgent Need to Fast-Track Talks', Human Rights Watch, 2 August 2021
- CCW Reports, Reaching Critical Will, 2 to 14 August 2021
Remarks to Diplomatic Corps, Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control, 19 July 2021
‣ Image with quote ‣ Re-Tweet
Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems 2021
Speech to AI Forum: Autonomous Weapons Systems, Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control, 21 June 2021
‣ Image with quote ‣ Re-Tweet
Forming New Zealand’s Policy Approach to Autonomous Weapon Systems, AI Forum consultation, 21 June 2021
Germany warns: AI arms race already underway, Deutsche Welle News and 'The future of modern warfare' video ‣ comment by the Aotearoa New Zealand Campaign, 7 June 2021
Response to report of killer robots in Libya, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 3 June 2021
Disarm Korero: 'The Challenges of regulating Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems, DSC, 2 June 2021 ‣ Share on Facebook ‣ Re-tweet
Public Lecture 'Shaping the Future: Autonomous Weapons Systems', Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control, 26 May 2021
ICRC position on autonomous weapon systems, 12 May 2021
New Zealand to "step up and contribute to international efforts to regulate and ban lethal autonomous weapons systems", Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control, 14 April 2021 ‣ Share on Facebook ‣ Re-tweet
Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control's comments on NZ's position on killer robots, 31 March 2021 - Re-tweet
Stopping Killer Robots: Human Rights Day Online Forum, 10 December 2020 #Standup4humanrights #BanKillerRobots ‣ Share on Facebook ‣ Re-Tweet ‣ Register here
Machines set loose to slaughter’: the dangerous rise of military AI, with comment by the Aotearoa New Zealand Campaign, 16 October 2020
Machines in the chain of command, with comment by the Aotearoa New Zealand Campaign, 30 September 2020
Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems, 21 to 25 September 2020
- Diplomatic talks re-convene, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 25 September 2020
- Statement, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 24 September 2020
- New Zealand's statement on Agenda item 5(c): Human-machine interaction, 22 September 2020
- Statement, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 21 September 2020
- 'Diplomatic meeting on killer robots to open at the United Nations on Monday: Delayed by pandemic and stiff opposition from Russia', Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 18 September 2020
- Commentary for the CCW Group of Governmental Experts, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 5 June 2020
- Joint Commentary on Guiding Principles A, B, C and D, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Ireland, Germany, Luxembourg, Mexico, and New Zealand, September 2020
Growing support for killer robots ban, but New Zealand's stance remains weak, Aotearoa New Zealand Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 11 August 2020 ‣ Share on Facebook ‣ Re-Tweet ‣ On Scoop ‣ Formatted for printing
Digital Diplomacy Keeps Pressure on Killer Robots Challenge:Amid COVID-19 Pandemic, More Than 70 Countries Participate in Online Meeting, Mary Wareham, 2 April 2020 ‣ Share on Facebook
Rio Seminar on Autonomous Weapons Systems, 20 February 2020
‣ Share on Facebook ‣ Watch live (1am to 11am on 21 February NZ time)
‣ Programme and presentations
Killer robot ethical and legal debate under the microscope, RNZ interview with Associate Professor Amy Fletcher, 7 February 2020
As killer robots loom, demands grow to keep humans in control of use of force, Mary Wareham, 15 January 2020 ‣ Share on Facebook
Meeting of the High Contracting Parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), 13 to 15 November 2019
Reprogramming war: the 'Slippery Slope' Report, PAX, 11 November 2019
High-level concerns on killer robots at UN, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 30 October 2019
Alliance for Multilateralism and killer robots, 26 September 2019
- Only a new ban treaty will prevent a future of killer robots, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 26 September 2019
- ‘Killer Robots:’ Ban Treaty Is the Only Credible Solution, Human Rights Watch, 26 September 2019
- Alliance for Multilateralism: Declaration on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems, 26 September 2019
Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems, 20 to 21 August 2019
- Russia, United States attempt to legitimize killer robots, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 22 August 2019
- New Zealand's statements - no formal statement made
An area in which we can take moral leadership, Professor Michael Winikoff, Professor Stephen Cranefield and Associate Professor Alistair Knott, 25 July 2019
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee Briefing on autonomous weapon systems, 2 May 2019
‣ Watch the briefing
‣ Written evidence:
- Letter to the Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control, Aotearoa New Zealand Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 15 March 2019
‣ Reply from the Minister, 16 April 2019
- Letter to the Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control, Professor Michael Winikoff et al, 15 March 2019
‣ Reply from the Minister, 16 April 2019
- Letter to the Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 4 April 2019
‣ Reply from the Minister, 1 May 2019
Banning killer robots national speaking tour: Mary Wareham, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots Global Coordinator, 16 April to 3 May 2019
- Event details ‣ on Facebook ‣ on Twitter ‣ formatted for printing
- Photo album
- Select Committee Briefing, 2 May 2019
- Media coverage
‣ MPs urged to take strong stance on killer robots, Radio NZ, 2 May 2019
‣ 'Government called on to do more to combat 'killer robots'', Radio NZ Checkpoint, 2 May 2019
'Winston Peters called upon to lead war against killer robots', Newshub, 2 May 2019
‣ 'Why NZ should ban killer robots', Mary Wareham, 1 May 2019
‣ 'Deadly tech: What's NZ's position on killer robots?' Radio NZ interview with Mary Wareham, 1 May 2019 (MP3 audio file)
‣ 'Meet the Kiwi campaigner trying to stop the rise of killer robots', Stuff, 1 May 2019
The rise of the killer robots, The Guardian, 8 April 2019
Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems, 25 to 29 March 2019
No killer robots for European Defence Fund, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 20 February 2019
World calls for international treaty to stop killer robots, Aotearoa New Zealand Campaign to Stop Killer Robots post, 20 February 2019
Global poll shows 61% oppose Killer Robots, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 22 January 2019
Rise of the tech workers, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, January 2019
Meeting of the High Contracting Parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), 21 to 23 November 2018
Video: Facing Fully Autonomous Weapons, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 20 October 2018
UNGA73 First Committee, 8 October to 9 November 2018
- Side event: Retaining Meaningful Human Control of Weapons Systems, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots / Austria, 17 October 2018
‣ Watch the video ‣ See the details
- Statement to the UN General Assembly First Committee, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 17 October 2018 ‣ Share on Facebook
The growing threat of lethal autonomous weapons, Stuart McMillan,
5 October 2018
'The Implications of Emerging Disruptive Technologies for International Security and New Zealand', Waikato University, Aotearoa New Zealand Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 20 September 2018
European Parliament calls for killer robot ban: New Zealand must do the same, Aotearoa New Zealand Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 14 September 2018 ‣
on Facebook ‣ on Twitter ‣ on Scoop
Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (GGE), 27 to 31 August 2018
- Killer robots are on the way - who will stop them? Deep disappointment in GGE meeting outcome, Aotearoa New Zealand Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 1 September 2018
- Majority call to negotiate a new treaty, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 31 August 2018
- New Zealand's first two GGE statements, Aotearoa New Zealand Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 31 August 2018
- Killer robots: Will New Zealand step up this week? Aotearoa New Zealand Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 27 August 2018 ‣ on Facebook
‣ on Twitter ‣ formatted for printing ‣ on Scoop ‣ Fuseworks Media
‣ NZ Artificial Intelligence Forum
- New Zealand statements ‣ Human element in the use of lethal force, and human-machine interaction, Lt Col Ben Bateman, Deputy Director of Legal Services, NZDF 28 August 2018 ‣ The way ahead,
Katy Donnelly, Deputy Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament, 29 August 2018
- CCW Report, Reaching Critical Will
Killer robots fail key moral, legal test: Principles and public conscience call for preemptive ban, Human Rights Watch and Harvard Law School International Human Rights Clinic, 21 August 2018 ‣ Read the report Heed the Call: A Moral and Legal Imperative to Ban Killer Robots
Podcast: Six experts explain the killer robots debate, Future of Life Institute, 30 July 2018
AI companies, researchers, engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs, and others sign pledge promising not to develop lethal autonomous weapons, Future of Life Institute, 18 July 2018
Parliamentary actions in Europe, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 10 July 2018
European Parliament adopts resolution supporting starting negotiations to ban fully autonomous weapons, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 6 July 2018
'Belgium is first country in the world to ban killer robots', via Pax Christi Vlaanderen, 5 July 2018
Video: No country would be safe from fully autonomous weapons, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, April 2018
Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems, 9 to 13 April 2018
- Convergence on retaining human control of weapons systems, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 13 April 2018
- New Zealand statements ‣ Possible options for addressing the humanitarian and international security challenges, Katy Donnelly, Deputy Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament, 13 April 2018 ‣ Meaningful human control, Katy Donnelly, Deputy Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament, 11 April 2018
- Killer robots: pressure builds for ban as governments meet, 9 April 2018
- CCW Report, Reaching Critical Will
- United Nations information
Toby Walsh and 137 founders and directors of robotics and artificial intelligence companies voted 2017 Arms Control Persons of the Year runners-up, Arms Control Association, 9 January 2018
2017: A lost year for diplomacy, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 22 December 2017
Vote for the 2017 Arms Control Person of the Year, iCAN Aotearoa New Zealand / Aotearoa New Zealand Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 20 December 2017
Unambitious process on killer robots to continue, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 24 November 2017
Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems, 13 to 17 November 2017
- Support builds for new international law on killer robots, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 17 November 2017
- NZ statements ‣ The way ahead, Katy Donnelly, NZ Deputy Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament, 17 November 2017 ‣ General Debate, Katy Donnelly, NZ Deputy Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament, 13 November 2017
- Campaign to Stop Killer Robots ‣ Statement, 15 November 2017
‣ Media release, 13 November 2017 ‣ Frequently asked questions
- CCW Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems web site
Killer robots are coming: Scientists warn UN needs treaty to maintain human control over all weapons, National Post (Canada), 15 November 2017
UNGA72 First Committee Statement: Conventional weapons, Katy Donnelly, NZ Deputy Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament, 20 October 2017 - see page 2
Delayed Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons meeting will be held 13 to 17 November, Campaign to Stop killer Robots, 31 August 2017 - Background information
Intervention at Germany’s informal event on lethal autonomous weapons systems, Mary Wareham, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 30 August 2017
First NZ company stands against killer robots, fires at Government for weapon policy reform, Madison Reidy, Sunday Star Times, 27 August 2017 - on Facebook - on Stuff
First New Zealand company signs open letter urging United Nations to urgently address the challenge of lethal autonomous weapons, Aotearoa New Zealand Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 24 August 2017
Killer robots: World’s top AI and robotics companies urge United Nations to ban lethal autonomous weapons, Faculty of Engineering at UNSW, Sydney, Australia, 20 August 2017 ‣ Open Letter
Robotics and AI Company founders demand UN action on killer robots, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 20 August 2017
United Nations' concern about killer robots, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 1 July 2017
Diplomatic Efforts to Address Killer Robots Falter: Convention on Conventional Weapons Talks Cancelled Due to Lack of Funds, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 30 May 2017
How Does the Story of 'Killer Robots' End? Madison Margolin, 23 February 2017
Conference on Disarmament: New Zealand statement, 21 February 2017
Lectures: 'From landmines to killer robots', Mary Wareham, Global Coordinator, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots
- in Dunedin, 31 January 2017
- in Wellington, 2 February 2017
Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW): Fifth Review Conference, 12 to 16 December 2016
Making the Case: The Dangers of Killer Robots and the Need for a Preemptive Ban, Human Rights Watch / International Human Rights Clinic, Harvard Law School, 9 December 2016 - html page - pdf format
Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW): Preparatory Committee for the Fifth CCW Review Conference, 31 August - 2 September 2016
Banning killer robots: Humanitarian disarmament forum with Mary Wareham, Peace Movement Aotearoa, 27 April 2016 - on Facebook - A4 poster
Letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs re NZ's position on killer robots, Aotearoa New Zealand Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 7 April 2016
Ministry of Defence military exercise will feature 'killer robots', The Guardian, 16 March 2016
Forum: Banning nuclear weapons, killer robots and explosive weapons, Wellington, 21 December 2015 - on Facebook - A4 poster
New Zealand statement at the Meeting of High Contracting Parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), 12 November 2015
Banning nuclear weapons, killer robots and explosive weapons: humanitarian disarmament forum in Wellington on 24 August 2015 - on Facebook - A4 poster
Machine Gunners: Warnings from the Near Future, Otago Daily Times, 15 August 2015
New Zealand sits out the killer robots debate, Mary Wareham, 25 April 2015
Interfaith declaration calling for a ban on fully autonomous weapons, PAX, ongoing
Recognizing the need for human control: this week at the Convention on Conventional Weapons in Geneva, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 17 April 2015
Letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs re NZ's position on killer robots, Aotearoa New Zealand Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 6 June 2014
- Reply from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, 8 July 2014
Human rights concerns over killer robots, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 29 May 2014
- Report of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, 1 April 2014 (A/HRC/26/36)
Taking on Killer Robots, Bonnie Docherty, Human Rights Watch, 23 May 2014
Radio NZ interview: Mary Wareham, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 18 May 2014 - MP3 -
Radio NZ
Autonomous weapons: What role for humans? International Committee of the Red Cross, 12 May 2014
Nations confront killer robots challenge, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 16 May 2014
Killer robots: Updates from CCW Experts meeting, Aotearoa New Zealand Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 14 May 2014
CCW Experts meeting: New Zealand Statement, 13 May 2014
Time for international action on killer robots: Convention on Conventional Weapons experts meet from 13 to 16 May 2014, Aotearoa New Zealand Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 13 May 2014
Nobel peace laureates call for preemptive ban on 'killer robots', Nobel Women's Initiative, 12 May 2014
Shaking the Foundations: The Human Rights Implications of Killer Robots, Human Rights Watch, May 2014
Key areas for debate on autonomous weapons systems, Article 36, May 2014
Killer robots: Interfaith Declaration, CCW, UNIDIR and more, Aotearoa New Zealand Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 9 May 2013
First multilateral UN meeting on killer robots, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, May 2014
Framing Discussions on the Weaponization of Increasingly Autonomous Technologies, UNIDIR, May 2014
Global concern leads to work plan to address the challenges of fully autonomous weapons, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 15 November 2013
Computing experts from 37 countries call for ban on killer robots, International Committee for Robot Arms Control, 16 October 2013
Killer Robots and the Rule of Law, Angela Kane, United Nations High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, 15 July 2013
Letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aotearoa New Zealand Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 23 May 2013
- Reply from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, 12 July 2013
Report on lethal autonomous robotics, UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions (A/HRC/23/47, 2013)
Campaign to Stop Killer Robots: Urgent Action Needed to Ban Fully Autonomous Weapons, Peace Movement Aotearoa, 24 April 2013 - with links to NZ media coverage
Urgent Action Needed to Ban Fully Autonomous Weapons: Non-governmental organisations convene to launch Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, Media release, 23 April 2013
Supporting organisations in Aotearoa New Zealand
International Campaign to Stop Killer Robots website
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