The concept of this kind of evil robot (drone sized) is terrifying - but in some ways is less than "utility fog."
Utility fog is only a few years further out from smart drones - but it increases the threat level even more, since detection becomes more difficult and the smaller units can operate to cause harm by using the targets own metabolism against itself... the modern day "engineered" plague. Plus a power supply is not needed. http://www.kurzweilai.net/utility-fog-the-stuff-that-dreams-are-made-of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utility_fog There is no valid scientific reason why computers, whether malevolent or useful, will not continue to shrink in geometry- down to the nanoscale, where they will resemble smart viruses and bacteria. "Infection" is then more sinister than any explosive charge, in many ways including pain and suffering - and the attack will be delayed so that countermeasures arrive too late. It is no mystery why so many observers of the Big Picture (and alien intelligence) - when plugging their best numbers into the Drake equation, predict that almost all intelligent civilizations, across the Universe perhaps even 99.99+% - will manage to self-destruct after technology becomes too complicated to control. We could be a test case. Jed Rothwell wrote: I think it may be possible to prevent the development of this technology, at least for several decades until countermeasures can be devised. The microprocessors in cell phones are inexpensive and can be mass-produced by the millions, but there are only a few factories where they are fabricated. These factories are expensive and can be monitored. Drones with built-in GPS capabilities nowadays are programmed for no-fly zones in places like Washington DC. I do not think that even a skilled expert could change this internal programming. The electronics for all of these drones are manufactured in only a few factories, all in China I believe.I expect the Chinese government would cooperate if we asked them not to produce autonomous robot killing drones. It is in their interest not to allow such technology. Decades from now it might be cheaper and easier to produce sophisticated microprocessors, but as I said by that time I hope we can produce countermeasures. This is discussed in Martin Ford's new book, "Architects of Intelligence," which I am reading.
