Research Themes
United States
This research theme examines US practices in relation to weapons systems with automated and automated features. These include operational practices of design, development, and deployment, but also extend to a wider range, including US evolving stances as delivered in the context of the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS). This is complemented by an analysis of practices performed by civilian developers of AI applications (in relationship with military actors) and how cultural-specific, often fictional representations of weaponised AI and robotics shape public discourse. Practices performed across these different societal contexts in the US are considered as potentially productive of norms.
Articles on United States
In and Beyond Great Power Diplomacy: Can Competition and Cooperation Co-Exist in US-China AI Governance?
Guest post by Ruofei Wang What role can diplomacy play in managing the competitive dynamics and cooperative potentials between the United States (US) and China—the world’s two biggest AI and military superpowers—on governing AI? The landmark Trump-Xi Summit in May 2026 marks a historic moment in US-China relations, amid the
Machine Guardians, Human Monsters, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Take the Terminator Franchise Seriously
The core aim of the AutoNorms project has been to develop a new theoretical approach for studying the relationship between practices of designing and using autonomous weapon systems (AWS), international norms, and the global governance of emerging technologies. In addition to my contributions to cataloguing the practices of human-machine interaction
Three Takeaways from the US Military-Anthropic Dispute
By Anna Nadibaidze and Robin Vanderborght The public dispute that erupted recently between the US Department of War (formerly Department of Defense) and the technology company Anthropic has captured the attention of global media and experts. Anthropic has developed the popular large-language model (LLM) Claude, which is not only used
Trump’s AI Race Action Plan: Removing Barriers to a Militarized Silicon Valley
Guest post by Tommaso Del Becaro The publication of the long-awaited America’s AI Action Plan by the federal government of the United States in July 2025 represents a crucial juncture in AI governance. Aimed at maintaining the US’ “unquestioned and unchallenged global technological dominance”, the AI Action Plan is the
AutoNorms
An international research project examining weaponised artificial intelligence, norms, and order
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Recent Articles
In and Beyond Great Power Diplomacy: Can Competition and Cooperation Co-Exist in US-China AI Governance?
Reflections on the Weaponised AI Policy Debate Throughout the ERC AutoNorms Project
Weaponised AI, Norms, and Order: Reflections from Research on China
How Practices Make Norms: Key Analytical Take-Aways from the ERC AutoNorms Project
Weapons Systems Data
Loitering Munitions Report Online Launch Event
