The development and use of lethal autonomous weapons – systems capable of selecting and firing at targets without human intervention, also known as ‘killer robots,’ – pose significant moral, ethical, legal and practical challenges to international peace and security as well as to international public security.
Brazil is one of the signatory countries of the Convention on Certain Autonomous Weapons (CCAC) and advocates for a legally binding instrument capable of regulating the use of this type of weapon. Such a position is consistent with national public opinion. According to a survey commissioned by the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots and conducted in December 2020, 62% of Brazilians are opposed to lethal autonomous weapons systems. Interviews conducted by the CIPÓ Platform, between May and July 2021, with 14 young leaders from different regions of the country, also revealed significant concerns related to lethal autonomous weapons systems.
This report, authored by Maiara Folly and Arthur Vieira (CIPÓ Platform), compiles and analyzes the perceptions of young Brazilian leaders regarding the risks posed by killer robots, as well as their stance on the role that the Brazilian government should play during the negotiation process of a potential international agreement aiming to restrict, regulate, or prohibit the development and/or use of lethal autonomous weapons systems. The production of the report was supported by the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, of which the CIPÓ Platform is a member.
