From Autonomous Weapons to the Militarization of AI
The lack of an international legal framework around the militarization of AI presents a risk to the global community. Autonomous AI weapons challenge the principle of attributable wrongdoing, as AI is more pervasive and ubiquitous than traditional warfare technologies. The militarization of AI can learn from previous instances of successful global cooperation, such as the Outer Space Treaty and the prohibition of nuclear tests, which are built around the prevention of bodily harm, prevention of conflict, and regulation and prohibition of certain behaviors.
Denise Garcia is an Associate Professor in the College of Social Sciences and Humanities and Institute for Experiential Robotics at Northeastern University. Her research focuses on international law and the questions of lethal robotics and artificial intelligence, global governance of security, and the formation of new international norms and their impact on peace and security.
Leading Ethically in the Age of AI and Big Data is the result of a grant to Purdue University’s College of Liberal Arts from the Lilly Endowment, Inc. Learn more about the project at https://bit.ly/LeadingEthically. A new Purdue Bachelor of Arts major in Artificial Intelligence will teach students to ask fundamental questions about intelligence and the ethical principles guiding the development of AI. Learn more at https://bit.ly/PurdueAI.
