The United Nations is reportedly lobbying to increase awareness of artificial intelligence weapons with hopes that such awareness would quicken discussions relating to international regulations on AI.
According to a report from NHK, the Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Nakamitsu Izumi, expressed her crisis over developing AI weapons intended for use in conflict.
She expressed her concern that the development of AI weaponry will fundamentally alter how conflicts are planned and carried out.
There is rising concern regarding lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS), which choose and strike targets independently of human guidance.
Artificial intelligence-equipped drones, like the ones seen in Ukraine, have shown in the past that they can locate targets independently if their connection to their operators is lost.
Furthermore, there have been rumors that the US is looking into how the Israeli military uses artificial intelligence to find targets in Gaza to attack.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged member states to build a legally binding framework by 2026 because there are no international regulations governing LAWS. Given that AI weapons are already being developed for conflict, she expressed a sense of panic.
Izumi's worries about AI weapons are similar to those of Austria, which sounded the alarm about the necessity of swift international action to control AI weapons systems in the face of mounting worries about creating "killer robots."
Nakamitsu discussed the differences in technology development between those nations and others that are not. She said powerful military nations are vying for control over the advancement of LAWS and hope to obtain an advantage in the talks.
Global Talks on AI Weapons
She also mentioned the possibility of terrorists and other parties abusing AI. Similarly, Austria called a conference on April 29 to revive discussions on this pressing issue. Austria discussed the ethical and legal concerns surrounding using AI in combat during the summit.
The need for international agreements on guidelines and standards to guarantee human control over AI weapons was emphasized by Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg during the meeting.
He advocated for human oversight in crucial decision-making processes and cautioned against the grave consequences of letting robots decide "who lives and who dies."
US on AI-Controlled Nuclear Weapons
The United States themselves have declared not to allow AI to decide whether or not nuclear weapons should be deployed. United States Department arms control official Paul Dean then urged both Russia and China to make a declaration on AI against nuclear weapon deployment.
Dean's statements align with U.S. President Joe Biden's bilateral talks with China, which aim to broaden the conversation to include topics such as AI development and nuclear weapons policy.
According to sources, the two parties have decided to conduct their first bilateral meeting to discuss artificial intelligence in the upcoming weeks. They will also discuss the best ways to manage technology-related risks and security.
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(Photo: Tech Times)
