An open letter has been presented at the 2015 International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Buenos Aires. The letter has been signed by a number of experts have warned about autonomous weapons. They have warned that autonomous weapons that could search and destroy targets could be fielded quickly.

Experts have affirmed that these weapons would not require human hand as they will be having autonomous decision-making ability to act. In the letter, experts have asked an important question for humanity that whether a global artificial intelligence arms race should start or action should be taken to prevent it.

“If any major military power pushes ahead with AI weapon development, a global arms race is virtually inevitable”, said the letter. The idea of automated killing machine shown in the movie Terminator is now quickly moving from science fiction to reality.

The experts stated that the deployment of such system would take just years. There are ways by which artificial intelligence can make battlefields safe for humans. Also, artificial intelligence would bring a decline in the number of battlefield causalities.

The group has urged in the letter that ban should be levied on offensive autonomous weapons. Many important personalities have supported the request including Elon Musk, head of SpaceX, and astrophysicist Stephen Hawking. Hawking believes that artificial intelligence will be competing with human intelligence.

Experts affirmed that the United States is the leader in developing artificial intelligence for military and civilian projects.