Is there a killer robot army on the way?

Terminator Genisys (Melinda Sue Gordon/Paramount Pictures/AP)

Well, experts are warning that it could soon come true.

They say real-life Terminators — autonomous weapons systems that kill without human intervention — could be with us within years unless a global treaty is agreed to ban them.

Wendell Wallach, of Yale University’s interdisciplinary centre for bioethics warns that technological advances that have led to driverless cars and artificial intelligence have now made killer robots — like Predator drone aircraft — a reality.

Wallach is calling for the creation of ethical committees to ensure that research into artificial intelligence is closely monitored.

He also wants a Presidential order to declare that lethal autonomous weapons systems violate international law.

“One of the concerns voiced by critics is the prospect that robotic weaponry will lower the psychological barriers to starting wars,” he said.

“Another major concern is robotic fighting machines in the relatively near future could autonomously initiate lethal activity.”

In fact, the Royal Navy will host its first “robot wars” exercise off Scotland’s coast later this year.

The exercise, named Unmanned Warrior 2016, will involve drones – including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and machines that can operate underwater.

Weapons manufacturers and Nato member countries will attend the drill as part of a UK-led event, Joint Warrior. Thousands of army, navy and air force personnel attend Joint Warrior – which is held twice a year by Nato.

During the Unmanned Warrior event, certain drills will take place to test the machines, including anti-submarine warfare, surveillance and reconnaissance.

Most of the training takes place in and around Scotland, with warships operating out of Faslane on the Clyde and aircraft from RAF Lossiemouth in Moray.

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