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The world’s two largest superpowers on Thursday chose not to sign a global statement opposing the use of artificial intelligence in military activities, despite growing concerns about the rapid development of artificial intelligence.
Only 35 out of 85 countries participated Responsible Artificial Intelligence in the Military Sector The REAIM summit in Spain agreed to sign a commitment to monitor the technology’s deployment in warfare.
Major signatories include South Korea, Canada, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Ukraine.
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Tensions between the United States and its European allies, as well as uncertainty about the transatlantic relationship in the coming months and years, have made some countries hesitant to sign an association agreement, several attendees and delegates said.
The pledge underscores growing concern among some governments that rapid advances in artificial intelligence could outpace rules for its military use, increasing the risk of accidents, miscalculations or unintended escalations.
Dutch Defense Minister Reuben Breckmans said governments were facing a “prisoner’s dilemma”, caught between imposing responsible restrictions and not wanting to limit themselves compared to their rivals.
“Russia and China are developing very quickly. That makes it urgent to make progress in developing artificial intelligence. But seeing it develop rapidly also increases the urgency of continuing to work on the responsible use of artificial intelligence. The two go hand in hand,” he told Reuters in an interview.
Signatories to the pledge agreed to 20 AI principles, including recognizing human responsibility for AI weapons, encouraging clear chains of command and control, and sharing information on national oversight arrangements “when consistent with national security.”
The document also outlines the importance of risk assessment, robust testing and training, and education of personnel operating military AI capabilities.
At two Military Artificial Intelligence Summits in The Hague and Seoul in 2023 and 2024Some 60 countries, including the United States, signed a modest “blueprint for action” without legal commitments.
While this year’s document is also non-binding, some remain uneasy about the idea of approving more concrete policies, said Yasmin Afina, a researcher at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research and an adviser to the process.
- Vishakha Saxena Additional Editor, Reuters
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