Atlanta city council unanimously backs ban on weaponized robots

Atlanta's city council voted 15-0 to support the HALT Act, barring city employees and contractors, including police, from acquiring weaponized autonomous systems, drones and remote-controlled machines. Machines used strictly for neutralizing explosives are exempt. Sponsor Liliana Bakhtiari cited the Pentagon's new Autonomous Warfare Command as motivation.

• Council voted 15-0 to ban weaponized autonomous systems
• Ban covers drones, robot dogs and armed military-like robots
• Explosive-disposal machines are exempt from the act
• Sponsor cited the Pentagon's new AutoWarCom command