Japan youth messengers call on world to reduce risks of AI-powered military

GENEVA (Kyodo) -- A delegation of Japanese high school students visited the U.N. office in Geneva on Tuesday, urging global leaders to mitigate the dangers of deploying artificial intelligence in military operations as the technology becomes increasingly integrated into warfare. Over 20 peace messengers, representing 19 of Japan's 47 prefectures, arrived to present more than 60,000 signatures gathered over the past year, advocating for the eradication of nuclear weapons.

Rinako Goto, a 17-year-old from Kumamoto Prefecture, informed a senior official at the U.N. Office for Disarmament Affairs, Carolyne-Melanie Regimbal, that the risk of nuclear weapons being utilized is escalating each year, driven by the incorporation of artificial intelligence into military decision-making. Goto emphasized the necessity for risk reduction measures to prevent catastrophic outcomes as AI technology rapidly advances.

The students also participated in a gathering of government experts focused on emerging technologies, specifically lethal autonomous weapons systems. Following her encounter with the students, Regimbal highlighted the critical importance of the relationship between AI and the development of military technology, predicting that this intersection will shape future global challenges, particularly in relation to both AI and existing mass destruction technologies like nuclear weapons.

Each year, peace messengers are selected to convey the messages of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the two Japanese cities annihilated by U.S. atomic bombs during World War II. This year's delegation included a 16-year-old whose great-grandmother survived the atomic bombing. Earlier this year, the Arms Control Association, a U.S. think tank, recognized the 24 Japanese high school students who constituted last year's group as the 2025 Arms Control Person(s) of the Year for their dedication to disarmament initiatives.