Future AI weapons such as drones should have moral code, says former UK spy chief

Software could make ethically superior decisions to humans in high-pressure moments, claims ex-GCHQ head David Omand

Drones will need to be programmed with moral guidelines as AI-driven decision making reduces human involvement in autonomous warfare, according to a former UK spy chief.

David Omand told the Guardian that he had changed his mind on unmanned weapons systems, more than a decade after concluding that autonomous drones could not comply with international humanitarian law.