Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems: can the international community agree on an approach?

During the 2018 Uehiro-Carnegie-Oxford Ethics Conference, which took place 16-18 May, 2018, VCDNP Senior Fellow Angela Kane delivered a presentation about lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS). The presentation touched on a number of issues related to LAWS and their place in international frameworks, including the prospect of addressing them under the auspices of the Convention on Certain Conventional
Weapons (CCW).

In her remarks, Ms. Kane detailed the recent history of how LAWS have to come to the forefront of the international security debate since 2014.

"What else can be done to advance the discussion? It is clear that the topic is so complex that a deeper understanding needs to be reached in order to have a meaningful impact. Many representatives of States do not have the legal and scientific background to weigh in the discussions in a forceful way. Organizing meetings of an inter-disciplinary nature, with AI scientists and experts, academics, representatives of industry, the military would contribute to the process, but what is needed is the willingness of the various parties to make the time and resources available: the States, the scientists, the experts, civil society – plus a requisite organizational unit and funding."

Ms. Kane's full remarks are available here.