There are two significant parts (IMO) to the trend towards autonomous weapons. They're very different. This article seems mostly concerned with autonomous/AI c

There are two significant parts (IMO) to the trend towards autonomous weapons. They're very different. This article seems mostly concerned with autonomous/AI controlled decision making: picking targets and firing on them. The 2nd part taking combatants out of the battlefield. This is more significant, IMO. This applies equally to autonomous & remote operated weapons. For thousands of years, fighting wars meant endangering soldiers. As this changes, all sorts of dynamics change, and conflicts may become more Think of drones. Whatever the tactical implications, I think the strategic implications have been more important. The US is willing to deploy remote operated drones in scenarios where they would not have committed troops, even airforce only.