Japan Urges Global AI Rules for Military Use

Japan wants global rules on the use of AI in the military to stop deadly AI weapons from operating on their own, pointing out the moral and humane problems this causes.

In response to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, both countries’ militaries have used AI to choose targets for drone strikes. Reports say that the Israeli military has also used similar AI weapons to find Hamas fighters in the Gaza Strip, which is a Palestinian region.

AI-equipped drones save time and effort because they don’t need to be controlled by a person. These drones can also quickly gather and analyse huge amounts of data on the battlefield, which can then be used for operational reasons.

People say that AI is used in weapons right now to the point where they choose targets, but humans still decide whether to attack. But Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS) are very likely to come out soon. In these systems, AI even decides when to hit targets without any help from a person.

Once it is turned on, LAWS will not be controlled by anyone. If AI weapons make a mistake, they could do terrible damage without meaning to. For example, they could bomb and attack without thinking, which would be a mistake.

In real life, using LAWS is completely wrong, both from a moral and a humane point of view. A General Assembly decision from December of last year asked UN member states to give their opinions on LAWS. As a reaction, Japan sent a letter to the UN saying that it has no plans to make LAWS and that the creation and use of such weapons systems should not be allowed on a global level.

International Response and Future Steps

The UN wants to make a report this summer after collecting the opinions of all of its member states, including Japan. Over the past ten years, the international community has talked about possible rules for LAWS, but there have been big disagreements among member states, making it hard to come to a decision.

Many countries have asked for a complete ban on LAWS development. However, Russia, Israel, and other countries working on AI weapons have been hesitant to use a treaty to stop development. The United States has said that a moderate code of behaviour for LAWS should be set up first, and then a treaty should be used to limit development.

Laws that affect war could cause a military shift similar to the one that happened with nuclear weapons. Japanese should stress how important it is to regulate cruel weapons and lead the way in making international rules since they are the only country that has been hit by atomic bombs. Although LAWS may be governed by a code of behaviour or a treaty, it is hoped that many military powers will be involved in the framework of the rules to make sure they work.