AI Is Already 'Amplifying the Destruction' of War

The United Nations convened a meeting to address the growing concern over the rise of autonomous weapons, which are developed using artificial intelligence (AI). Laurent Gisel, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross's legal warfare team, highlighted the rapid pace of AI development as a cause for concern. Gisel explained that AI is already being used to pick targets and kill people, amplifying the destruction, violations of the law, and humanitarian harm caused by conflicts.

In Gaza, Israel employed an AI-powered by Microsoft to select targets, while in Ukraine, AI-powered Russian drones are responsible for identifying and eliminating human targets. The United States military has also embraced AI-first tactics, with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announcing Project Meridian, an initiative to guide the development of autonomous weapons.

Gisel expressed growing concerns about the speed at which AI is advancing. While AI can potentially help commanders make decisions faster, it also accelerates the pace of mistakes, reducing human control. He emphasized that the human should remain in the loop, but this often fails in the heat of battle, especially when soldiers are tired, stressed, or required to make quick decisions.

AI proponents often present AI as an "easy button" that can streamline complex tasks. However, the consequences of using AI in warfare are far more severe, as the developers may not fully comprehend the implications of their creations, which are often designed for civilian purposes and then adapted for military use.

International humanitarian law, which aims to limit the devastating effects of war, is an ever-evolving legal framework. While imperfect, it seeks to restrict the use of all weapons, means, and methods of warfare, both past and present, as well as those yet to be invented. Gisel stressed that humanitarian law applies to all aspects of warfare, and new rules and regulations should be implemented to govern the use of autonomous weapons.

He proposed prohibiting specific categories of autonomous weapon systems and imposing restrictions on others, particularly those that remove humans from the kill chain or target human beings directly.