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US and UK manufacturers have been told future robot minds are capable of mass murder.

The warning comes after a Campaign to Stop Killer Robots report said autonomous machines used for warfare are poised for mass production.

But computer engineer Subhash Kak said machines this advanced in future could be radicalised like the human mind.

The Oklahoma University lecturer told Daily Star Online: "Given the level of current technology, the danger of self-radicalisation does not exist at this moment.

"On the other hand, malfunctioning robot brains may produce behavior like that of radicalized humans.

"The appeal to self-radicalized youths by leaders of extremist religious groups, that has led to many terror incidents in the UK in recent years, is like the use of self-radicalized robot minds.

"There could be a bug in the code."

He added that he is confident manufactures will dedicate themselves to alleviate the risk as much as possible.

(Image: GETTY)

But he warned that if a future robot were to be radicalised, manufactures would try to exempt themselves from blame.

He told us.: "The manufactures are cognizant of such malfunction of fault which they will do their best to minimise or eliminate.

"At the same time they would pressure parliament or other legislative bodies to give them exemption from liability."

Last week Bonnie Docherty, a senior arms researcher at Human Rights Watch, said fully autonomous weapons would violate the Martens Clause, an international humanitarian law.

She issued a rallying cry for countries to oppose the use of them by military forces.

She added: "Permitting the development and use of killer robots would undermine established moral and legal standards.

"Countries should work together to preemptively ban these weapons systems before they proliferate around the world.

"The groundswell of opposition among scientists, faith leaders, tech companies, nongovernmental groups, and ordinary citizens shows that the public understands that killer robots cross a moral threshold.

"Their concerns, shared by many governments, deserve an immediate response."