South Korea Hosts Global Summit on Military AI: Seeking Responsible Use Guidelines

TLDR:

• South Korea hosts international summit on AI use in military
• Over 90 countries attending, including US and China
• Summit aims to establish blueprint for responsible AI use
• Discussions cover legal compliance and human oversight
• Multi-stakeholder approach involving governments and private sector

South Korea convened an international summit on Monday aimed at establishing guidelines for the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in military applications.

The two-day event in Seoul brought together representatives from over 90 countries, including major powers like the United States and China.

This summit marks the second such gathering, following last year’s meeting in Amsterdam where nations endorsed a basic “call to action” without legally binding commitments.

The Seoul summit seeks to build on this foundation by creating a more detailed blueprint for military AI use.

South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun highlighted both the potential and risks of military AI in his opening address.

He cited the example of AI-enabled Ukrainian drones in the ongoing conflict with Russia, describing them as a modern-day “David’s slingshot.” Kim noted that while AI can dramatically improve military capabilities, it’s also a “double-edged sword” that could cause harm if misused.

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul outlined key areas of discussion for the summit. These include ensuring AI systems comply with international law and implementing safeguards to prevent autonomous weapons from making life-or-death decisions without proper human oversight.

A senior South Korean official revealed that the summit aims to establish minimum guardrails for military AI use. The proposed blueprint would draw on principles already put forward by organizations like NATO and various countries.

However, it remains unclear how many attending nations will endorse the final document, which is expected to lack legal enforcement mechanisms.

The summit organizers emphasize the importance of multi-stakeholder discussions in this rapidly evolving field. While private sector companies drive much of the technological development in AI, governments ultimately make decisions about its military applications.

To address this dynamic, the event has registered about 2,000 participants globally, including representatives from international organizations, academia, and the private sector.

Topics on the agenda include civilian protection measures and the potential role of AI in nuclear weapons control systems. These discussions reflect the wide-ranging implications of AI technology in modern warfare and security.

This summit is not the only international forum addressing military AI use. The United Nations, through its Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, is separately exploring potential restrictions on autonomous weapons systems to ensure they comply with international humanitarian law.

The United States has also taken initiative in this area. Last year, the US government launched a declaration on the responsible use of AI in military contexts, covering a broad range of applications beyond just weapons systems. As of August, 55 countries had endorsed this declaration.

The Seoul summit is co-hosted by South Korea, the Netherlands, Singapore, Kenya, and the United Kingdom. This diverse group of co-hosts reflects the global nature of the challenges and opportunities presented by military AI technology.