The Future of Warfare: AI and Autonomous Weapons

On Wednesday, November 27th the Netherlands Atlantic Youth and study association L.S.A. Custodia organized a public meeting themed:

The Future of Warfare: AI and Autonomous Weapons

In recent years, ‘artificial intelligence’ (AI) has been rapidly developing in multiple fields, including the military. What could this mean for the future of warfare?

Many experts argue that the growing importance of AI in warfare has even led to an arms race between the United States and China. These two powers, as well as Russia, recognize the importance of AI and focus increasingly on its development. However, there is also opposition, especially from NGO’s and scientists, who warn against the threat of fully autonomous weapons that can make decisions on life and death without human control (sometimes referred to as ‘killer robots’).

During our event on November 27^th, Netherlands Atlantic Youth discussed the deployment of AI in warfare, focusing specifically on autonomous weapon systems. We explored current and (possible) future developments in this field, the implications of these developments for warfare, as well as some different perspectives on these weapon systems.

The panel consisted of Berenice Boutin (Asser Instituut), Leon Kester (TNO) and Maaike Beenes (PAX). The panel was moderated by Amit Arkhipov-Goyal (HCSS) and attended by around 50 students and young professionals