Within the United Nations, the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in the military domain has, to-date, primarily discussed in the context of the United Nations Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on emerging technologies in the area of lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS). However, the application of AI within the military domain extends beyond the issue of LAWS.
In the midst of discussions and debates around the opportunities and risks of AI for military purposes, as well as the governance and responsible use of these technologies, the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR)’s new report aims to increase understanding of the role of AI in the execution of military tasks beyond applications relating to the use of force and the narrow tasks of target selection and target engagement within the targeting process.
The report provides an overview of current and near-future AI capabilities relevant to aiding with 18 military tasks. The paper also presents a discussion on the strengths and limitations regarding the application of AI to these military tasks.
Citation: Sarah Grand-Clément, “Artificial Intelligence Beyond Weapons: Application and Impact of AI in the Military Domain”, UNIDIR, Geneva, 2023.