‘Responsible AI’ in the Military Domain: Implications for Regulation

This blog is based on the regulation subpanel of the Realities of Algorithmic Warfare breakout session, held at the REAIM Summit 2023. Watch the full breakout session here. The global debate on military applications of artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomy is gradually expanding beyond autonomous weapon systems (AWS) towards the concept of ‘Responsible AI’. Proponents […]

AutoNorms at the UN GGE on LAWS in March 2023

The AutoNorms team regularly participates in meetings of the United Nations Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on emerging technologies in the area of lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS). The GGE meetings take place in Geneva and bring together delegations of state parties to the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), as well as representatives […]

Has REAIM “Re-aimed” AI Applications in the Military Domain?

A positive step towards regulating the development and growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in warfare was taken during a two-day conference in The Hague in February 2023, namely the Global Summit on Responsible Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain (REAIM). As an initiative of the Dutch government in partnership with the Republic of Korea, […]

Regulation and Prohibition of Autonomous Weapons Systems: A Future Outside the CCW?

On 21 October 2022, Austria, on behalf of 70 states, delivered a joint statement on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS) at the 77th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), during a debate on conventional weapons. Among others, the document mentions that these states recognise the importance of focusing efforts in particular on elaborating the normative and […]

AutoNorms at the UN GGE on LAWS

In 2021-2022, the AutoNorms team participated in three meetings of the United Nations Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on emerging technologies in the area of lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS). The GGE meetings take place in Geneva and bring together delegations of state parties to the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), as well […]

The UK Defence AI Strategy: Situating Global Britain in the ‘AI Race’?

On 15 June 2022, the UK Government released its new Defence AI Strategy, outlining its plans to further integrate artificial intelligence into its Armed Forces. The strategy includes objectives such as making the Ministry of Defence (MOD) an “AI ready” organisation, exploiting AI “at [a] pace and scale for Defence advantage”, strengthening the UK’s defence […]

The Future of the GGE and Denmark’s Silence in the Debate about Autonomous Weapons Systems

On 17 December 2021, after eight years of (both informal and formal) discussions about the challenges raised by autonomous weapons systems (AWS), states parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) decided on a mandate that dissatisfied many. The Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on LAWS should meet for 10 days in 2022 to […]

Can the UN GGE Go Beyond the Eleven Guiding Principles on LAWS?

The first session of the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on emerging technologies in the area of lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS) took place from 3-13 August 2021, in Geneva.   After a delay caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, states parties to the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) could formally continue the discussion […]

Reflecting on the Future Norms of Warfare

[The following essay builds on a contribution submitted by Ingvild Bode to the RUSI/HRI project ”The Future Rules of Warfare”. The essay reflects on how current norms of conflict and warfare might be changing.] The legal norms enshrined in the UN Charta, as well as associated legal frameworks such as the Geneva Conventions, the International […]

The National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence and the US Policy on AWS

This short contribution addresses the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI) report recently published in the United States (US). This report marks an important step in defining the US’ future AI security policy and can be expected to influence the US position on questions relating to the regulation and prohibition of militarised AI. It […]