UN Urges Global Treaty to Regulate AI-Powered Autonomous Weapons Amid Rising Conflict Deployments
May 12, 2025
Amnesty International's Patrick Wilcken emphasized the need for a legally binding treaty to keep pace with the rapid technological advancements in military applications.
Mirjana Spoljaric, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, warned that the swift evolution of technology is outpacing regulatory efforts, raising significant humanitarian risks associated with LAWS.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has set a deadline for 2026, urging countries to establish clear rules governing the use of AI weapons, labeling machines that can take human lives without control as morally unacceptable.
The United Nations is calling for urgent global action to regulate lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS), particularly in light of their increasing deployment in conflicts such as Ukraine and Gaza.
As autonomous weapons become more prevalent on battlefields, there is an urgent call for robust international laws to manage their implications.
Campaign groups view ongoing discussions as a critical test for international cooperation, pushing for a legally binding treaty that addresses ethical concerns and the use of autonomous weapons by non-state actors.
The conversation highlights the challenges of implementing legal frameworks that can adequately govern the use of autonomous weapons in warfare.
Rachel Bovard from the Conservative Partnership Institute cautioned against compromising U.S. national sovereignty through international law while emphasizing the need for careful regulation.
Legal and ethical dilemmas surrounding AI-driven weapon systems raise important questions about what should be permissible on the battlefield.
Despite ongoing discussions since 2014 among nations part of the Convention on Conventional Weapons, progress on establishing binding regulations has been slow, with no comprehensive international standards in place.
Dr. Matt Mahmoudi, an assistant professor at the University of Cambridge, argues that these systems are fundamentally incompatible with international law.
As the technology evolves rapidly, campaigners express urgency in establishing regulations to mitigate potential risks associated with autonomous weapons.
Summary based on 23 sources
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Sources

ABC listen • May 14, 2025
Killer Robots: the future of warfare and what UN does about them
U.S. News & World Report • May 12, 2025
Nations Meet at UN for 'Killer Robot' Talks as Regulation Lags
The Straits Times • May 12, 2025
Nations meet at UN for ‘killer robot’ talks as regulation lags
The Straits Times • May 12, 2025
Nations meet at UN for 'killer robot' talks as regulation lags