AI Warfare Has Arrived: The Future is Now

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The Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, a forum dedicated to lethal autonomous systems, convenes twice a year at the United Nations in Geneva. For Branka Marijan, who attended the November 2017 session, what began as a routine five-day meeting quickly turned into a sobering revelation. The discussions, which had previously been speculative and hypothetical, took on a new urgency.

The prospect of killer robots, once considered a futuristic fantasy, had suddenly become a grim reality. Marijan's eye-opening moment came on the first day, as some attendees watched footage that starkly illustrated the rapid advancement of autonomous technology in warfare. The visuals starkly contrasted with the skepticism that had greeted earlier warnings about the potential for lethal autonomous systems.

The implications were clear: the future of warfare, once thought to be a distant concern, had arrived. The Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons provides a critical platform for nations to discuss the ethics and implications of deploying lethal autonomous systems. As the world grapples with the challenges posed by AI in warfare, the stakes are higher than ever.

With each iteration of the convention, the conversation evolves from speculative debates to concrete actions and policy considerations. The shift towards a more immediate and practical approach was palpable in 2017. As attendees confronted the reality of AI-driven warfare, the conversation turned to regulation, accountability, and the potential for unintended consequences.

For Marijan and others, the experience served as a wake-up call, underscoring the need for concerted international action to address the challenges posed by lethal autonomous systems. The stakes are high, and the international community's response will likely shape the course of future conflicts. As AI continues to integrate into military strategies, the imperative for clear policies and safeguards grows.

The Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons stands as a critical forum for navigating these complex issues, with the aim of preventing the unintended escalation of AI-driven warfare. The future of warfare is no longer a topic for speculation; it is a present-day reality that demands attention, cooperation, and decisive action from the international community.