NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – A new platform dedicated to artificial intelligence in global 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 explore AI’s application in military contexts. According to the institute, it is the first and only multi-stakeholder discussion on this topic within the UN system to date.
Robin Geiss, who serves as Director of UNIDIR, shared the initiative’s objectives during a UN press briefing in New York on Tuesday. He emphasized that participants from all relevant sectors and regions will be involved. Industry representatives, including defence technology companies, software developers, subcontractors, and investors, are anticipated to participate in consultations. They will collaborate with governments, civil society, academic institutions, and experts. The establishment of this centre earlier this summer marked the creation of the UN’s first permanent platform dedicated to these issues.
According to Geiss, the forum’s main aims include establishing a responsible industry conduct framework, based on voluntary and practical guidelines. Companies are expected to adopt these principles during the design and development of military AI tools. Additionally, the forum aims to develop an AI security lexicon to clarify terms like autonomy, safety, and security. Currently, different stakeholders interpret these words inconsistently, leading to ambiguity that hampers trust and collaboration.
Access to AI tools becomes easier for armed groups
A third key objective is addressing the potential misuse of AI by non-State armed groups. Geiss highlighted that such groups could leverage AI for operational planning, execution, and logistics. As AI tools become more accessible and user-friendly, non-State actors might be able to conduct more advanced military operations. This concern builds upon previous UN efforts to address technology-related threats posed by armed groups. UNIDIR, based in Geneva, functions as the UN’s independent research institute dedicated to disarmament issues.
Geiss warned that AI is likely to increasingly replace human decision-making in warfare. Currently, armed forces utilize AI for intelligence analysis, target identification, operating drones, and cyber-attacks. He added that human judgment is being displaced, including within the nuclear sphere. AI’s ability to accelerate battlefield operations and enable forces to target more objectives daily is unprecedented. Many AI systems operate with limited transparency, which raises concerns about errors and unintended escalation risks.
Nuclear-armed nations endorse UN research hub
Geiss noted that geopolitical rivalry remains a significant barrier to regulating military AI. Nevertheless, he observed that concern over the technology is shared across political spectrums, including among major powers. He pointed to a September proposal by the US to establish an AI notification mechanism with China, aimed at alerting each other to AI-related incidents. He interpreted this initiative as evidence that worries about AI transcend political differences.
All five major nuclear states—United States, Russia, China, Britain, and France—have contributed funding to the Centre of Excellence, Geiss said. The UN Secretary-General has repeatedly urged stakeholders to avoid crossing a moral red line concerning autonomous weapons. He advocates for stronger regulation and a legally binding treaty to govern lethal autonomous weapon systems. Geiss mentioned that these calls are increasingly gaining backing across the international community.