In a bid to prevent the spread of killer robots in society, a group of robotics companies have published an open letter pledging not to weaponize their machines, and pleading with users to do the same.We’ve seen leaders in AI and robotics petition the UN to ban the development of these types of machines, and these movements continue to gain momentum as more companies and organizations lend their name to the cause.Another video doing the rounds on social media earlier this year showed a quadruped robot carrying an assault rifle and firing at targets on the range.Questions remain over the veracity of that second example, but the point remains: vision of robotic dogs combined with deadly weapons is an unnerving glimpse into the future.We believe that adding weapons to robots that are remotely or autonomously operated, widely available to the public, and capable of navigating to previously inaccessible locations where people live and work, raises new risks of harm and serious ethical issues.”The letter goes on to include a pledge from the group to not weaponize their robots, nor support others to do so, and calls on policy-makers and users to promote their safe use."