“[My time at ACA] prepared me very well for the position that I took following that with the State Department, where I then implemented and helped to implement many of the policies that we tried to promote.”
Emerging Technology
The unregulated development and deployment of emerging technologies—referring to scientific and technical developments that, if applied in the military sphere, could have transformative effects on the future of warfare in unpredictable and potentially hazardous, destabilizing ways—could increase the risk of accidental and unintended conflict escalation. Whether manifested in new domains, new applications, or new military capabilities, these technologies can include hypersonic weapons, artificial intelligence-enabled capabilities, cyberspace operations, counterspace capabilities, and the like.
The Arms Control Association (ACA), in conjunction with other experts and organizations, has proposed various measures to reduce such risks, as laid out in issue briefs, reports, articles in Arms Control Today, and more. To receive updates on developments in this field, join today or sign up for our regular updates list.
| CHARTS | REPORTS |
- By Alexander Kmentt
The widespread adoption of these weapons raises urgent ethical questions and an imperative for action.
- Reviewed by Herbert Lin
This book offers rare insights linking new information processing technologies for battlefield awareness to theoretical computer science.
U.S. President Joe Biden also reiterated that a human should always remain “in the loop” for decisions on nuclear weapons use.
The UN General Assembly mandated new international consultations intended to advance slow-moving negotiations on a treaty or agreement that would regulate autonomous weapons systems.
The widespread deployment of autonomous weapons systems and the integration of artificial intelligence into nuclear command, control, and communications systems pose novel threats to strategic stability that are not addressed by existing U.S. and multilateral initiatives to mitigate the dangers of artificial intelligence.
- By Alexander Hoppenbrouwers
Division within the Global South makes it more difficult for states favoring legally binding autonomous weapons systems regulation to achieve consensus.
In a new report, António Guterres reaffirmed the need to preserve human control over the use of force and said “[t]he autonomous targeting of humans by machines is a moral line that must not be crossed.”
The $360 million deal would be the first U.S. sale of attack drones to the self-governing island.
The Senate should endorse the amendment introduced by Sen. Ed Markey stating it is the policy of the United States to keep a 'human in the loop' for all nuclear weapons employment decisions. (July 2024)