More than 60 countries, including China have agreed to address concerns over the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in warfare. The agreement was made at the first global Summit on Responsible Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain (REAIM).
The agreement comes as part of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) initiative to establish guidelines for trustworthy AI. The guidelines set out five key principles, which include the need for AI to be transparent, accountable, and inclusive. The agreement is non-binding but serves as a framework for governments to create their policies around AI. It aims to promote responsible innovation and ensure that the development and deployment of AI align with human values and principles.
US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control Bonnie Jenkins called for the responsible use of AI in military situations. “We invite all states to join us in implementing international norms, as it pertains to military development and use of AI” and autonomous weapons, said Jenkins. “We want to emphasize that we are open to engagement with any country that is interested in joining us.”
China representative Jian Tan told the summit that countries should “oppose seeking absolute military advantage and hegemony through AI” and work through the United Nations.
Except for Israel, the call to action was signed by all attendees and it stated that nations were committed to developing and using military AI in accordance with “international legal obligations and in a manner that does not undermine international security, stability, and accountability.”
The agreement is seen as an important step towards regulating the use of AI in warfare and preventing the development of harmful weapons, which could potentially cause harm to civilians and non-combatants.
The sources for this piece include an article in TechSpot.