SEOUL: South Korea convened an international summit on Monday seeking to create a framework for the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the military, though any agreement is not expected to have binding powers to enforce it.
The two-day summit drew representatives from over 90 countries, including the United States and China, marking the second such international gathering on this topic. The inaugural summit, held in Amsterdam last year, saw the U.S., China, and other nations issue a non-binding “call to action.”
In his opening address, South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun referenced the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, noting how an AI-equipped Ukrainian drone acted like “David’s slingshot” in the fight against Russia. He highlighted Ukraine’s use of AI-enabled drones to gain a technological advantage, addressing issues like signal jamming and enabling coordinated drone operations.
Kim acknowledged that while AI enhances military capabilities, it also poses risks if misused, describing it as a “double-edged sword.”
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul stated that discussions would focus on legal reviews to ensure adherence to international law and mechanisms to prevent autonomous weapons from making critical decisions without human oversight.
The Seoul summit aims to develop a blueprint for responsible AI use in the military, incorporating principles from NATO, the U.S., and other countries. It seeks to establish minimum standards and guidelines, though it is unclear how many nations will formally endorse the proposed document on Tuesday. The blueprint is expected to provide detailed boundaries for AI use but will likely remain non-binding.
In addition to the Seoul summit, discussions on military AI are also taking place within the U.N.’s 1983 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), focusing on restrictions for lethal autonomous weapons systems to comply with international humanitarian law. Last year, the U.S. government introduced a declaration on the responsible use of AI in the military, which has been endorsed by 55 countries as of August.
Co-hosted by the Netherlands, Singapore, Kenya, and the United Kingdom, the Seoul summit aims to foster ongoing multi-stakeholder dialogue in a field primarily driven by the private sector, with governments as key decision-makers. Approximately 2,000 participants from international organizations, academia, and the private sector have registered for the summit to discuss issues such as civilian protection and AI’s role in nuclear weapons control.
