Representatives from 128 countries have reached an agreement in Geneva on new international principles governing the use of lethal autonomous weapons systems. These weapons can use artificial intelligence to identify, select and engage targets with limited or no direct human intervention.
Negotiations over such systems have been underway for roughly a decade. The issue has become increasingly pressing as armed forces expand their use of drones and other weapons incorporating automated target recognition and artificial intelligence.
After negotiations continued late into the night, participating countries agreed on several key points, including how autonomous weapons systems should be defined, under what circumstances they may be used and who bears responsibility for their deployment.
The agreement is not legally binding. However, it could provide a foundation for further international regulation and potentially lead to a future treaty governing autonomous weapons.
The negotiations included major military powers such as Russia, China, the United States and India. Their participation is significant because several countries are investing heavily in artificial intelligence, autonomous drones and other advanced military technologies.
At the same time, some governments and civil society organisations have pushed for stricter restrictions. The final agreement therefore represents a compromise between states seeking to preserve room for the military use of autonomous systems and those advocating stronger limitations or outright prohibitions.
Critics are particularly concerned about weapons that could use lethal force without sufficient human control. One of the central questions in the international debate remains how much human involvement should be required before a weapon can attack a target.
A new international treaty is not expected in the immediate future. Participating countries are due to continue discussions in November on whether additional rules are needed and what legal form they could take.
Negotiating a binding treaty could take years. The Geneva agreement nevertheless establishes a common basis for further talks at a time when military technology is developing faster than international rules governing its use.