What is Automation?

By Silas Huffman

I’ve been continuing to deep dive into the resolution. I’ve come to what I believe is the best way to define Automation in terms of the resolution and where the conflict is. 

“In combat, the use of automation should be valued above the use of military personnel.”

Honestly, I believe automation is the only term that needs to be defined. So let’s look at a few definitions. 

Merriam-Webster: 

“automatically controlled operation of an apparatus, process, or system by mechanical or electronic devices that take the place of human labor”(1)

Cambridge Dictionary: 

“The use of machines and computers that can operate without needing human control.”(2)

Dr. Shimon Y. Nof, Professor of Industrial Engineering at Purdue University: 

“Automation, in general, implies operating or acting, or self-regulating, independently, without human intervention.”(3)

Now all of these definitions, and almost every definition lead to the idea that automation is something that acts without a human. Merriam-Webster specifically noting that it replaces human labor. Now I personally wouldn’t use that definition, because I believe that you could be caught using examples of things that humans couldn’t do, but automation could, therefore those examples could be declared unresolutional mid-debate. 

Now what does this look like in a combat setting? I believe the clearest example is Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems(LAWS). There are of course other examples, AWs and DAWS for example. But I believe most definitions of LAWS include those systems.

The thing is there is no universally agreed-upon definition of LAWS. We can however look at the general idea.

Analyst in Advanced Technology and Global Security, Kelley M. Sayler writing for the Congressional Research Service, defines LAWS as “weapon system[s] that, once activated, can select and engage targets without further intervention by an operator.”(4)

The Air University goes into depth exploring different definitions from other sources(5) but the general idea is the same. LAWS are systems where the only human input is essentially just turning them on and off.
So the conflict, where the two ideas clash is this question. Should we use systems that act without human supervision or not? This is where most of the contention and ethical concerns arise in the literature surrounding this topic.

Struggling to understand a concept? Want some arguments against an idea? Contact us and it may be the next monthly blog.

1. “Automation Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster.” Accessed August 7th, 2024. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/automation.

2. “AUTOMATION | Definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary.” Accessed 7th August, 2024. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/automation.

3. “Wayback Machine,” March 5, 2020. Accessed 7th August, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20200305054116/https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/pfigshare-u-files/13882256/Automationwhatitmeanstousaroundtheworld.pdf.

4. Kelley M. Sayler. “International Discussions Concerning Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems.” Congressional Research Service, February 14, 2023. https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF11294.

5. CENTER/AUP, GUNASEKARA-ROCKWELL, ERNEST A. CIV USAF AETC LEMAY. “Laws on LAWS: Regulating the Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems.” Air University (AU), September 21, 2023. https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/JIPA/Display/Article/3533453/laws-on-laws-regulating-the-lethal-autonomous-weapon-systems/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.airuniversity.af.edu%2FJIPA%2FDisplay%2FArticle%2F3533453%2Flaws-on-laws-regulating-the-lethal-autonomous-weapon-systems%2F.