Robots killed at least 14 people in Pakistan last January. The mechanical attackers were airborne Predator drones, operated by remote control by the CIA. They fired Hellfire missiles at the village of Damadola in an unsuccessful attempt to kill the No. 2 Al Qaeda leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri.
The Japanese government has developed a virtual human to act as one of its ambassadors to ASEAN countries. The author address the implications of this move and the characteristics of Japanese culture that make them more receptive to virtual humans and robots.