The Militarization of Artificial Intelligence

This workshop, organized by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, the Stimson Center, and the Stanley Center, will bring together experts from government, industry, and the research community to discuss the potential challenges posed by the militarization of AI, as well as possible opportunities, and to elaborate ideas on how to mitigate the former while maximizing the latter.

Few developments in science and technology hold as much promise for the future of humanity as the suite of technologies that falls under the umbrella of “artificial intelligence.” AI has the potential to drive human development, including by aiding fulfilment of the Sustainable Development Goals. The implications for international peace and security, however, are unclear, in part because policymakers, militaries, industry, and researchers have difficulty communicating with each other.

For these reasons, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has repeatedly stressed the need to raise greater awareness and understanding about the implications of new technologies, including possible applications in the military sphere that may not have been considered by developers, and to convene dialogue among diverse constituencies to properly examine these issues.