Session
Theater
Duration (minutes): 90
Format description: The issue is complex and 90 minutes are needed to allow a MSH-panel to set out the various ethical, legal and technical dimensions and discuss the way forward. No strong preference for the Room Layout.
Cybersecurity is a key issue in the global Internet Governance Ecosystem. Cybersecurity is challenged by cybercriminals and cyberattacks against critical infrastructure. But since more than a decade we see also the development of artificial intelligence- based weapon systems which have the potential to undermine both international peace and security as well as the functioning of the Internet.
The Open Forum will discuss recent developments and new perspectives of the need for regulation of Autonomous Weapons Systems (AWS). The 79th UN General Assembly in October discussed the AWS Report of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres published in July 2024 pursuant to the UN Resolution 78/241, introduced by Austria in 2023, and supported by the overwhelming majority of UN member states. This year, the UN General Assembly adopted two resolutions: the follow up resolution sponsored by Austria and a cross-regional group of co-sponsors, which is aimed to intensify the AWS discussion and another one sponsored by the Netherlands and the Republic of Korea together with a cross-regional group of co-sponsors on the application of AI in the military domain more broadly, which goes beyond AWS. For 2025, the UN will organize a two-day multi-istakeholder informal consultation on AWS. The call of the UN Secretary General and the ICRC President, supported by many states, to conclude negotiations on a legally binding instrument on AWS by 2026 is still on the table.
The IGF Open Forum will contribute to build more public awareness of the challenges around AWS in a world of new political turbulences and risks. Stakeholders from different communities will discuss the various aspects – political, legal, ethical, humanitarian, technicial etc. – of the development and use of AWS and consider ideas, how to contribute to the development of a regulatory framework for autonomous weapon systems as a contribution to peace and security and the achievement of the development goals.
Permanent Mission of Austria to the UN in Geneva
Co-organizers (tbc): - Governments of Costa Rica (GRULAC) , the Philippines (Asia) , Sierra Leone (Africa), - Future of Life Institute (Civil Society/Private Sector; WEOG), - Campaign to Stop Killer Robots (Civil Society, global). - Prof. Wolfgang Kleinwächter, University of Aarhus (Academia, WEOG)
Welcome:
Oskar Wüstinger, Ambassador of Austria to Saudi Arabia
Videomessage:
Vint Cerf, Co-Chair of the IGF Leadership Panel (Online)
Key Note:
Gregor Schusterschitz, Ambassador, Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs of Austria
Panelist:
- Olga Cavalli, Dean, University of Defence, Ministry of Defence of Argentina, former member of the OEWG
- Ram Mohan, Chief Strategy Officer of Identity Digital, former ICANN Board Member
- Jimena Viveros, Managing Director and CEO at IQuilibrium AI, Commissioner of the Global Commission on Responsible Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain (REAIM), Member of the UN Secretary General's High Level Advisory Body on AI (HLAB.AI) and OECD.AI Expert
- Ernst Noorman, Ambassador at Large for Cyber Affairs, Netherlands
- Chris Painter, Director Global Forum on Cyberexpertise (GFCE), former US Cyber-Ambassador (Online)
- Kevin Whelan, Head of UN Office, Geneva & Representative to UN, Amnesty International
Final Words: The way forward:
Gregor Schusterschitz, Ambassador, Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs of Austria
Moderator:
Wolfgang Kleinwächter, Professor Emeritus University of Aarhus, former Commissioner of the Global Commission on Stability in Cyberspace (GCSC)
Prof. Wolfgang Kleinwächter, Professor for International Communication Policy and Regulation at the Department for Media and Information Studies of the University of Aarhus in Denmark
Campaign to Stop Killer Robots (Civil Society, global).
Permanent Mission of Austria to the UN in Geneva
16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
16.1
16.3
16.4
16.6
16.7
16.10
17.16
17.17
17.6
Targets: The increasing autonomy in weapons systems through the introduction of artificial intelligence – inherently prone to inaccuracy, unreliability and inexplicability – will fundamentally transform armed conflicts. In this context, far from being “objective” and “free from bias”, autonomous weapons systems raise profound questions from a peace, rule of law and human security perspective, in particular as to human control over the use of force, accountability, transparency and responsibility. Autonomous weapons systems that promise the advantage of speed may not allow for meaningful human control and risk destabilizing international peace and security. The risk of an ‘autonomy’ arms race, lowering the threshold for military confrontation and proliferation to non-state armed groups and terrorists highlight the profound challenges to the achievement of the SDGs. These risks concern all states and all parts of society, and have disproportionate effects on those more vulnerable.
Such an arms race gives rise to considerable opportunity costs taking away much needed funds that could be spend on addressing the dire development needs, in particular for SIDS and LDCs. There is growing convergence of views that AWS that cannot be used in accordance with legal and ethical rules should be explicitly prohibited. All other AWS should be appropriately regulated (the so-called two-tier approach). The UN Secretary-General and the President of the ICRC have emphasized the urgency of negotiating and adopting an international legal instrument to set clear prohibitions and restrictions on autonomous weapons systems and to conclude negotiations by 2026. Many states and other stakeholders have supported this call.
Measures to ban or restrict certain weapons on humanitarian grounds have a central role to play in reducing armed violence and related deaths. Clear red lines and guardrails that are set for the development and use of AWS through a legally binding instrument will reduce significantly all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere (SDG 16.1) and protect human rights (16.10). Regulation of AWS will promote the rule of law at the national and international levels (SDG 16.3), allow for effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels (16.6) and will ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels (SDG 16.7). Regulation efforts will also mitigate the risk of proliferation to non-state armed groups and terrorists (SDG 16.4).
The preventive window for such action is closing. Strong multi-stakeholder partnerships are needed that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the sustainable development goals in all countries, in particular developing states (SDG 17.16).