NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – On Thursday, October 22, a fresh UN forum dedicated to artificial intelligence in international peace and security will be launched. The UN Institute for Disarmament Research is establishing this platform through its Centre of Excellence on AI, Peace and Security. The forum is also set to explore AI applications within military contexts. According to the institute, it is the first and only multi-stakeholder platform of its kind within the UN system to date.
During a UN press conference held in New York on Tuesday, Robin Geiss, the Director of UNIDIR, detailed the initiative’s objectives. He highlighted that participants from all relevant sectors and regions will be involved, including defense technology companies, software developers, subcontractors, and investors. These groups will collaborate with governments, civil society, academia, and subject matter experts. The forum’s supporting centre was established this summer as the UN’s first permanent entity dedicated specifically to these issues.
According to Geiss, the forum aims to achieve three primary objectives. The first is to develop a responsible industry framework based on voluntary, pragmatic guidelines that companies can adopt when creating and deploying military AI tools. The second goal involves creating an AI security lexicon that clarifies key terms such as autonomy, safety, and security—words that are currently interpreted differently by various stakeholders, causing confusion and hindering trust and collaboration.
Militant groups find it easier to access AI tools
The third aim focuses on addressing the dangers of AI misuse by non-State armed groups. Geiss emphasized that these entities can utilize AI for planning, execution, and logistical support of operations. As AI tools become more accessible and user-friendly, non-State actors are capable of mounting increasingly complex military actions. This concern adds to prior UN efforts related to technology-related threats posed by armed groups. UNIDIR, an independent disarmament research agency based in Geneva, is at the forefront of these initiatives.
Geiss noted that AI is poised to supplant human decision-making in warfare. Already, armed forces deploy AI for intelligence analysis, target identification, drone operations, and cyber-attack coordination. He warned that human judgment is being displaced, including in nuclear contexts. The rapid pace of battlefield operations, powered by AI, enables forces to target an unprecedented volume of objects daily. The opacity of many systems increases the risk of errors and unintended escalation.
Major nuclear powers support UN initiative
Geiss pointed out that geopolitical rivalry remains a significant hurdle to regulating military AI. Nonetheless, he observed that concerns about AI are shared across different political spectrums, including among leading powers. He referenced a September proposal from the United States for an AI notification mechanism with China, which would enable the two largest military spenders to alert each other about AI-related incidents. This proposal he described as evidence that worries surrounding AI cut across political divides.
Funding for the Centre of Excellence has been provided by all five major nuclear powers, Geiss confirmed. These include the United States, Russia, China, Britain, and France. The UN Secretary-General has repeatedly urged stakeholders to avoid crossing a moral red line regarding autonomous weapons, calling for stronger regulation and a legally binding treaty on lethal autonomous weapon systems. Geiss added that these appeals are gaining increasing support within the global community.