UNIDIR to launch forum on military AI as concerns rise over human control

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The United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) is set to launch a new international forum on Thursday focused on the military uses of artificial intelligence, aiming to address concerns about the technology’s potential threat to humanity.

UNIDIR director Robin Geiss, speaking at a U.N. press conference Tuesday, warned that “the margin for human judgment is increasingly narrow, including in the nuclear domain,” adding that it is difficult to assess how close the world is to machines acting outside of human control.

Geiss said uncertainty is a central issue the initiative aims to resolve, pointing to the growing spread of AI across military-related functions such as early warning systems, information gathering and reconnaissance.

He said a reluctance to develop AI guardrails has existed for some time, but the expanding capabilities of AI and the possible impact have contributed to “a growing realization that we stand at a crossroad — that now is the time to act, including on military AI.”

Geiss also said the U.N. recognizes the obstacles created by global competition over AI leadership, while noting that concerns about AI’s impact are already moving beyond geopolitical blocs.

As an example, he pointed to a U.S.-China proposal from last month for an AI safety alert system for issues that could threaten national security.

The risks of AI were a major theme in speeches by leaders of the U.N.’s 193 member nations at their annual high-level meeting last month, Geiss said.

Geiss added that UNIDIR established a Center of Excellence on AI, Peace and Security this summer, and that Thursday’s forum will bring together “actors from every relevant sector and all over the world” to work on AI in military uses.

While Geiss said the forum’s exact plans were still being kept broad, he said the initiative would be part of other efforts being launched by the center this week, including work focused on industry.

According to Geiss, UNIDIR is developing a framework for “responsible industry behavior,” intended as “practical, voluntary guidelines” following international law and supporting human rights.

He said companies’ decisions on “design and development” shape whether AI-enabled military capabilities are reliable, predictable, and operate in line with international law.

UNIDIR will also hold consultations this week with defense technology companies, software developers, subcontractors, investors and others working alongside governments, civil society, academia and experts, Geiss said.

In addition, UNIDIR is launching an initiative focused on the risks of AI misuse by armed groups, warning that such actors are already using the technology to support operational planning, execution and logistics.

Geiss said, “The urgent issue of AI in the military domain will certainly no longer be allowed to linger in the shadows,” adding, “The time has come to pull our strengths and confront AI in the military head-on.”