On Monday, South Korea hosted an international event to develop a master plan for the responsible use of AI in the military.
More than 90 nations, including the United States and China, were represented at the two-day summit in Seoul, following on from the inaugural meeting in Amsterdam last year. A non-binding “call to action” was agreed upon by the participants and carried into the latest gathering on Responsible Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain (REAIM).
South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun stressed the dual nature of AI in war, including “David’s slingshot”, a reference to a Ukrainian drone equipped with AI. The use of these resources is part of the goal to secure a technological advantage over Russia, to contribute toward signal jamming, and to utilize unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
“As AI is applied to the military domain, the military’s operational capabilities are dramatically improved. However it is like a double-edged sword, as it can cause damage from abuse,” Kim continued.
Cho Tae-yul, South Korean Foreign Minister, intimated that dialogue at the summit would focus on delivering AI compliance with international law and the imperative of preventing autonomous weapons from making key decisions without human oversight. This will be difficult without legally binding terms.
However, the aspiration is to achieve a blueprint with fundamental requirements for AI in military environments, with adherence to concepts from NATO and other alliances.
US declaration receives international support
In relation to this subject but separate from the Seoul meeting, the United Nations is considering potential restrictions on lethal autonomous weapons systems under the 1983 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons.
The United States has also introduced a declaration on the responsible use of AI for military purposes, with the endorsement of 55 other countries as of last month.
This year’s REAIM summit, co-hosted by the Netherlands, Singapore, Kenya, and the United Kingdom, aims to provide ongoing space for dialogue and consensus in a rapidly evolving field. Although driven by the private sector, the matters are largely governed by public policy and although non-binding, the discussion works to frame boundaries on AI military applications.
Image credit: Via Ideogram
