SEOUL, South Korea – A “blueprint for action” in ensuring responsible use of artificial intelligence in military work was announced at a seminal summit in South Korea on Tuesday. What the summit reaffirmed is a need for clear and concrete guidelines on the involvement of AI in military service-a reinforcement of a non-legally-binding agreement reached last year. And like that predecessor, this new framework is legally non-binding.
Representatives from 96 nations, including global powers like the United States and China, were present at the Responsible AI in the Military Domain (REAIM) summit, although it was unclear how many countries endorsed the latest document.
It was co-hosted by South Korea, the Netherlands, Singapore, Kenya, and the United Kingdom, a year after a similar summit in Amsterdam, where about 60 nations signaled support for a “call to action.” But this year’s blueprint was more concrete.
Blueprint on Responsible AI Use in the Military
The newly announced blueprint lays out a clear path of specific steps for checking risks, oversight by humans while applying AI, and non-proliferation of WMD through AI technologies. It includes an essential confidence that humans must retain control over AI in significant military decisions involving nuclear weapons.
As the document went on to attest: Netherlands Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans said, “Last year’s talks were more about building a common understanding, but now we are taking tangible steps toward action.”
This blueprint is aimed at addressing rapid developments in the AI technology landscape, such as Ukraine deploying AI-enabled drones, through the setting of clear guidelines on how nations should use AI responsibly for military operations. The discussion also points out that among the important features needed to make sure of global security are confidence-building measures and risk management.
Multi-Stakeholder Discussions
The summit aims to keep discussions on the use of AI in the military running and ensure that no single nation controls the discourse. Officials in South Korea claimed that the blueprint fell in line with principles laid out by other nations, including the declaration on responsible AI use in the military by the US government.
The venue and date of the next summit are still under discussion, but the blueprint forms a meaningful step toward international cooperation for responsible AI deployment in military domains.
