New York law to ban civilians from weaponizing robots
New York lawmakers proposed a new bill that will make weaponizing robots illegal.
The Responsible Robotics Act bans the sale, transfer, modification or equipping of robots or drones with mounted weapons.
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If the bill passes, the Big Apple will become the first US state to ban weaponized robots for civilians.
Regulating and weaponizing robots
The New York State Senate website calls it the Senate Bill S3133, which “prohibits robots and uncrewed aircraft equipped or mounted with weapons.”
At the time of writing, the bill has reached the US Committee Senate.
Once it passes, the bill will ban weaponizing robots, including remote-controlled machines and AI-powered ones.
The legislation also prohibits citizens from using a robot to restrain a person physically.
Violators can face penalties ranging from $25,000 to $100,000.
Popular Science reported that New York officials discussed the proposal during a press conference in the state capital.
They explained that the bill is a partial response to the public backlash over social media videos showing robots armed with flamethrowers and various weapons.
The bill’s authors said, “Mounting weapons to robots or drones that are remotely or autonomously operated…raises new risks of harm and serious ethical issues.”
“The development and use of such weaponized robots will also harm public trust in the technology in ways that damage the tremendous benefits they will bring to society.”
The ban on weaponizing robots follows New York law enforcement’s increased spending on robotics and other policing technology.
In 2023, the NYPD signed a contract with Boston Dynamics worth approximately $750,000 to return its Spot robot dog to the Big Apple.
Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (STOP) Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn told Popular Science that this legislation is an “important step.’
“The growing pressure to move drone weaponry from the battlefield to our backyards is terrifying,” said Cahn.
“We need to make it clear that it’s illegal to transform these increasingly ubiquitous devices into lethal long arms of the law.”
