“These models are not perfect yet, so if they cause hallucinations or give some kind of inaccurate output, they are currently being used to make life-or-death decisions,” Mrs Krebs said.
“The important thing, and this gets lost in the conversation, is that regardless of the type of technology used, whether it’s a bow and arrow, a radar-guided missile, or an autonomous weapons system, there is always a human responsibility for the use of force. It’s not just based on Department of Defense policy, it’s based on laws and international treaty commitments,” said Michael Horowitz, former director of the Defense Department’s Office of Emerging Capabilities Policy.
“At least that’s how it’s supposed to work.”
The adoption of AI is rapidly outpacing international regulations, and there is no single legally binding treaty that puts guardrails on how the technology can be used in warfare.
At least 60 countries have signed the US-led Political Declaration on the Responsible Military Use of AI, which requires military AI to comply with international law, but there are no legal consequences if signatories fail to comply with the rules.
The United Nations General Assembly has also adopted several resolutions regarding the use of AI in the military.
Experts said the current geopolitical situation could disrupt future cooperation.
In February, global AI stakeholders attended a meeting on responsible artificial intelligence at the Military Summit in Spain.
Approximately 60 countries signed the outcome document during the past two meetings. This year, that proportion has been cut in half as the United States and China sit on the sidelines.
“I think the current geopolitical climate makes any kind of cooperation around artificial intelligence that much more difficult,” Horowitz said.
“At least for now, it’s hard to imagine how we could end up with very strong binding international laws banning the use of artificial intelligence.
“It seems unlikely that countries like the US or China would participate in this, unless for other reasons other than being part of the AI powerhouse.”
