Disclosed are 3-aryl-6-aryl-7H-[1,2,4]triazolo[3,4-b][1,3,4]thiadiazines and analogs thereof, represented by the Formula I wherein Ar1, Ar2, R1, R2, and X are defined herein. The present invention relates to the discovery that compounds having Formula I are activators of caspases and inducers of apoptosis. Therefore, the activators of caspases and inducers of apoptosis of this invention may be used to induce cell death in a variety of clinical conditions in which uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells occurs.