South Korea hosted an international summit on Monday to establish a framework for the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the military. Over 90 countries, including the United States and China, participated in the two-day event in Seoul, but any agreement reached is expected to remain non-binding.
This year’s summit aims to build on that foundation with a more detailed “blueprint for action,” focused on practical guidelines for responsible AI use in military settings.
This new document provides more practical guidelines than its predecessor, but how many of the 96 participating nations will endorse it remains unclear.
South Korean Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun, in his opening remarks, highlighted the dual nature of AI in military operations. He cited the example of Ukraine’s use of AI-enabled drones, which have functioned as “David’s slingshot” in their conflict with Russia, by overcoming signal jamming and enabling more coordinated operations of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). However, he warned that while AI can significantly enhance military capabilities, it also poses risks if misused.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul emphasized the summit’s goal of establishing a baseline framework to ensure AI technologies in defense adhere to international laws and ethical standards. He mentioned discussions on preventing autonomous weapons from making life-and-death decisions without human intervention. The blueprint is expected to reflect well-established principles by NATO, the US, and several other countries.
Netherlands Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans noted that this year’s discussions are more focused on concrete actions, such as risk assessments, maintaining human control over AI-driven systems, and preventing AI from being used to proliferate weapons of mass destruction, particularly by non-state actors.
While it remains unclear how many of the 96 nations attending the summit will formally endorse the new document, the “blueprint for action” represents a step toward defining global norms.Â
The Seoul summit, co-hosted by the Netherlands, Singapore, Kenya, and the United Kingdom, aims to maintain ongoing multi-stakeholder dialogue on the responsible use of AI in military applications. The summit seeks to ensure that these discussions are not controlled by any single country or entity, promoting a collaborative approach where governments, private sector players, and academia can contribute equally.Â
Approximately 2,000 participants worldwide, including representatives from international organizations and experts in various fields, have registered for the event to discuss crucial topics like civilian protection and the use of AI in nuclear weapons control.
South Korean officials noted that the new document largely aligns with existing frameworks, such as the US declaration on responsible military use of AI, which was launched last year and has been endorsed by 55 countries as of August. The UN member countries involved in the 1983 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) are also in discussions about imposing potential limits on lethal autonomous weapons systems to ensure they comply with international humanitarian law.
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