NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – A new UN platform focused on artificial intelligence’s role in international peace and security is set to launch on Thursday, October 22. The UN Institute for Disarmament Research is establishing this initiative through its Centre of Excellence on AI, Peace and Security. The forum will also consider AI applications within military contexts. According to the institute, this is currently the only multi-stakeholder forum dedicated to this topic within the UN system.
Robin Geiss, the Director of UNIDIR, detailed the initiative during a UN press conference in New York on Tuesday. He emphasized that participants from all relevant sectors and regions will be involved. Representatives from defense technology companies, software developers, subcontractors, and investors are expected to join consultations, working alongside governments, civil society groups, academic institutions, and experts. The centre behind the forum was established this summer as the UN’s first permanent platform focused on these issues.
Geiss explained that the forum aims to achieve three primary objectives. The first is to develop a framework for responsible conduct within the industry, based on voluntary, practical guidelines that companies can follow when designing and creating AI tools for military purposes. The second goal is to create an AI security lexicon to clarify concepts like autonomy, safety, and security, which are currently used inconsistently across stakeholders, leading to misunderstandings and hindering trust and collaboration.
Armed factions find AI tools more accessible for operational use
The third objective involves addressing the potential misuse of AI by non-State armed groups. Geiss noted that such groups could leverage AI for planning, executing operations, and logistics. As AI tools become more user-friendly, non-State actors might develop more advanced military capabilities. This concern builds on earlier UN efforts regarding technology-related threats posed by armed groups. UNIDIR, based in Geneva, is the UN’s independent research institute dedicated to disarmament issues.
Geiss highlighted that AI is increasingly poised to supplant human decision-making in warfare. Currently, it is employed by armed forces for intelligence analysis, target identification, drone operation, and cyber-attack coordination. He warned that human judgment is being displaced, even in nuclear-related areas. AI also accelerates battlefield activities and enables forces to engage a record number of targets daily. Many systems operate in opaque ways, which heightens the risk of errors and unintended escalation.
Nuclear-armed nations support UN-led AI regulation efforts
Geiss pointed out that geopolitical rivalry remains a major hurdle to establishing regulation for military AI. Nevertheless, he observed that concern about the technology is widespread across political spectra, including among major powers. He referenced a September U.S. proposal for an AI notification mechanism with China. This arrangement would enable the world’s two largest military spenders to alert each other to AI-related incidents, demonstrating shared concerns that transcend political divides.
All five leading nuclear powers—United States, Russia, China, Britain, and France—have contributed funding to the Centre of Excellence, Geiss confirmed. The UN Secretary-General has repeatedly called on stakeholders not to cross a moral red line regarding autonomous weapons. He advocates for more robust regulation and a legally binding treaty to control lethal autonomous weapon systems. Geiss stated that these appeals are increasingly gaining support within the international community.