IGF 2024 Open Forum #73 The Need for Regulating Autonomous Weapon Systems

    Theater
    Duration (minutes): 90
    Format description: The issue is complex and 90 minutes are needed to allow a MSH-panel to set out the various ethical, legal and technical dimensions and discuss the way forward.
    No strong preference for the Room Layout.

    Description

    Autonomous weapon systems (AWS) are understood as weapons systems that - once activated - select and apply force to a target without further human intervention. They raise fundamental legal, ethical and security concerns relating to the nature of human control, accountability and compliance with international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law. These systems raise ethical concerns regarding the dignity of the person and face moral demands from the principles of humanity and requirements of the public conscience. AWS also present global risks to peace and security.

    In order to ensure that we can leverage the positive contribution of emerging technologies to sustainable development while preventing harms and mitigating its risks, international regulation of AWS through a legally binding treaty is necessary. Consequently, it is important to address this question as a contribution to the achievement of SDG 16, focussing on promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development.

    For decades, states have grappled with the issue within the framework of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) in the framework of the CCW’s Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems. These discussion have, however, yielded no results. Among other things, conceptual, technological and operational uncertainties around AWS, as well as increasing geopolitical tensions, have proved to be veritable stumble blocks to reaching a consensus on the way forward. Some parts of the discussion — notably questions about definitions and characteristics of AWS — go round in circles. Moreover, States continue to disagree about the desirable outcome of the process. In view of the futile attempts to come to a consensus on regulation AWS, the process launched in the United Nations General Assembly by its Resolution 78/241 on “Lethal autonomous weapons systems” adopted on 22 December 2023 is of paramount importance.

    The event aims to broaden the discourse and galvanise global multi-stakeholder perspectives and partnerships on this issue taking into account the perspective of the Agenda 2030 and its SDGs in order to advance the current discussions on the legal regulation of AWS, also in the context of the Summit for the Future. Furthermore, the event will be informed by the debate of the 79th UN General Assembly on the first ever UN General Assembly resolution on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (Res 78/241), the work in the framework of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons on the issue as well as the results of the Vienna Conference “Humanity at the crossroads: Autonomous Weapons Systems and the Challenge of Regulation” (www.aws2024.at) and of several regional conferences on the issue.

    The session will consist of presentations from the panelists and a Question and Answer session. The objective is to raise awareness about the issue of AWS and connect communites dealing with tech/digital governance and with IHL/disarmament issues. We will strive to provide for a possiblity to link up/connect participants irrespective of whether they participate online or offline.

    Organizers

    Permanent Mission of Austria to the UN in Geneva
    Co-organizers (tbc):
    - Governments of Costa Rica (GRULAC) , the Philippines (Asia) , Sierra Leone (Africa),
    - Future of Life Institute (Civil Society/Private Sector; WEOG),
    - Campaign to Stop Killer Robots (Civil Society, global).
    - Prof. Wolfgang Kleinwächter, University of Aarhus (Academia, WEOG)

    Speakers

    - Karoline Edtstadler, Austrian Federal Minister for the Constitution and European Affairs (Government, WEOG)
    - Ambassador Kmentt, Austrian MFA (Government, WEOG)
    - High Leve Representative of countries that have held regional conference on AWS, Costa Rica, Philippines and/or Sierra Leone (tbc) (Government, all regions)
    - Campaign to Ban Killer Robots (Civil Society, global)
    - Future of Life Institute (Civil Society/Private Sector, WEOG)
    - Palantir (Private Sector, WEOG)
    - Representatives from UNODA or ICRC (UN, global)

    Onsite Moderator

    Prof. Wolfgang Kleinwächter, Professor for International Communication Policy and Regulation at the Department for Media and Information Studies of the University of Aarhus in Denmark

    Online Moderator

    Campaign to Stop Killer Robots (Civil Society, global).

    Rapporteur

    Permanent Mission of Austria to the UN in Geneva

    SDGs

    16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
    16.3
    16.6
    16.7
    17.16
    17.17
    17.6


    Targets: The increasing autonomy in weapons systems through the introduction of artificial intelligence will fundamentally transform armed conflicts. Autonomous weapons systems therefore raise profound questions from a peace, human security ethical and rule of law point of view, in particular as to human control over the use of force, accountability, transparency and responsibility. Autonomous weapons systems that promise the advantage of speed may not allow for meaningful human control and risk destabilizing international peace and security. The risk of an ‘autonomy’-arms race, lowering the threshold for military confrontation and proliferation to non-state armed groups and terrorists highlight the profound challenges to the achievement of the SDGs. These risks concern all states and all parts of society, and have disproportionate effects on those more vulnerable.
    There is growing convergence of views that AWS that cannot be used in accordance with international law or that are ethically unacceptable should be explicitly prohibited. All other AWS should be appropriately regulated (the so-called two-tier approach). The UN Secretary-General (UNSG) and the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have emphasized the urgency of negotiating and adopting an international legal instrument to set clear prohibitions and restrictions on autonomous weapons systems and to conclude negotiations by 2026.

    Clear red lines and guardrails for the development and use of AWS through a legally binding instrument will reduce significantly all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere (SDG 16.1) and protect human rights (16.10). Regulation of AWS will promote the rule of law at the national and international levels (SDG 16.3) , allow for effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels (16.6) and will ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels (SDG 16.7).
    The preventive window for such action is closing. Many states and other stakeholders have supported this call. Strong multi-stakeholder partnerships are needed that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the sustainable development goals in all countries, in particular developing countries (SDG 17.16).