Robot dogs: On police forces, defence duty and their potential risks

What are these entities? These are canine-shaped robots with AI and four-legged mobility. Charact­eri­sed as "partly-autonomous" ground vehicles, they can be used to do a variety of tasks

A few days ago, the New York Police Department (NYPD) released footage of its new “employees” — robot dogs that accompany police officers on patrol duty. Singapore is using robot dogs to patrol public spaces and maintain social distancing. And the French army is also inducting them in military exercises.

What are these entities? These are canine-shaped robots with artificial intelligence and four-legged mobility. Charact­eri­sed as “partly-autonomous” ground vehicles, they can be used to do a variety of tasks. There are now concerns that such units can be weaponised as they are being increasingly adopted by police and defence forces.