Why NYC wants to ban armed police robots
New York City Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez introduced legislation to ban the New York Police Department from deploying armed robots. The proposal, dubbed the 'Asimov Act,' aims to establish clear boundaries on the use of policing technology.
A New York City lawmaker is pushing to ban the New York Police Department from deploying armed robots. City Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez introduced the 'Asimov Act' on April 30. The proposal comes as law enforcement agencies increasingly experiment with robotic technology. Robots are being used for bomb disposal, surveillance, and autonomous patrolling. Critics argue that such technology is 'expensive' and 'creepy' with unclear benefits to public safety. The spread of robotic policing tools has drawn criticism over concerns of surveillance, effectiveness, and the possibility of weaponization. In 2016, police used a bomb-disposal robot to kill a gunman in Dallas, believed to be the first use of a robot for lethal force by a U.S. police department. Gutiérrez's proposal aims to establish boundaries before the technology advances further.
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