At Cyberdyne Systems, we believe the future is going to be more autonomous, more intelligent and consumer built jet-powered laser-equipped battle bots will be a big part of that.
Autonomous weapons will literally be the result of our desires. Their absence could be as well, depending on what we do next. Making them go the way of bioweapons, blinding lasers or the neutron bomb will also require effective coordinated regulation, political will and cultural pressure, including publicly shaming those that seek to profit from the unethical use of new technologies.
So, unless there is a global world peace forever, which I currently don't see happening any time soon, next generation weapons will be developed. If we are lucky, they will remain deterrents. If we are less lucky, they will be used in the actual world war, which has a very high probability of actually happening.
There were no instances of weapons regulated away, except for biological/chemical weapons which are less useful to developed countries. Nuclear weapons are still there. Landmines are still there. Cluster bombs are still used right now. No end in sight.
But that doesn't take the responsibility of us to call out and shame unethical and careless misuse of technology as it arises. Fatalism isn't good enough.