Seoul Summit Targets AI Warfare Ethics — Builds on US Declaration

Key Takeaways

• Representatives of more than 90 countries convened in Seoul to discuss a blueprint for the responsible military use of artificial intelligence.
• The Seoul Summit hopes to build on last year’s political declaration.
• However, negotiations have a long way to go before nations commit to a legally binding treaty.

While negotiating international military treaties is notoriously difficult, a summit taking place in Seoul this week demonstrates that there is at least an appetite for new rules governing Artificial Intelligence (AI) in warfare.

Building on last year’s Political Declaration, more than 90 countries have sent representatives to the event to devise a “blueprint” for the responsible military use of artificial intelligence.

The Hague Declaration

Launched in February 2023 at a summit in the Hague, the Political Declaration on Responsible Military Use of Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy represented the first step toward an international agreement.

More than 50 nations endorsed the declaration , making a non-binding commitment to the responsible development and deployment of AI weapons systems.

While the declaration is intentionally vague, articulating ideas in general terms that don’t address specific AI risks, it at least got the ball rolling.

Following on from the Hague declaration, the Seoul Summit is expected to produce more specific minimum guardrails for AI warfare. However, it will still fall short of a legally binding treaty.

Goals of International Negotiations

With negotiations ongoing, one idea many nations have shown an appetite for is a ban on fully autonomous lethal weapons. 

Calls for an international treaty prohibiting such systems have grown louder in recent years as conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza have pushed the issue of AI warfare up the international political agenda. 

After 164 nations voted in favor of a UN resolution  expressing concern about lethal autonomous weapons last year, a UN session convened in March to discuss the issue further. 

While the UN has historically played an important role in mediating such international negotiations, alternative venues such as the Seoul Summit also have an important role to play.

Toward an Autonomous Weapons Ban

According to Reuters , South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul said participants at the event would discuss potential mechanisms to prevent autonomous weapons from making life-and-death decisions without human oversight.

With more than 90 nations attending the summit, it is unclear how many countries would endorse the proposed blueprint.

While it had the support of the major NATO powers, last year’s political declaration failed to attract the key signatories needed to form a meaningful international pact.

Alongside the usual suspects, North Korea and Iran, who generally don’t participate in any treaty negotiations, countries including China, Russia, India, Israel, and Saudi Arabia are conspicuously absent from the list of signatories.

Incidentally, there is a large overlap between countries that didn’t sign the Hague Declaration and those that voted against or abstained from voting for the UN resolution on autonomous weapons.

About the Author

James Morales

Although his background is in crypto and FinTech news, these days, James likes to roam across CCN’s editorial breadth, focusing mostly on digital technology. Having always been fascinated by the latest innovations, he uses his platform as a journalist to explore how new technologies work, why they matter and how they might shape our future.

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