The Weaponization of Artificial Intelligence in the Military: The Importance of Meaningful Human Control

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence has become an essential part of our lives. It has without a doubt made life much easier and practical whether on a global scale such as economical and political development or on a smaller scale such as our day-to-day lives. The last half-decade marked the beginning of the development of robots that have the ability to perform human tasks. Originally, it was expected that the main disadvantage of AI technology would be related to the loss of work prospects since humans would be replaced by machines that are able to operate in a more efficient matter. While this concern is certainly valid, there is a far more severe issue at hand which is none other than the military's use of AI. Governments, journalists, and tech leaders argue that developing and using intelligent and autonomous weaponry is unquestionably a fatal mistake that might lead to catastrophic consequences; it is particularly problematic if these technologies end up in the hands of the wrong individuals. These experts and scholars argued that these weapons could eventually lead to more damage and destruction and could possibly result in a third world war. Thus, they attempted to explore the moral and, most significantly, legal ramifications of these autonomous weapons. As a result, a new formula had to be introduced; this formula is Meaningful Human Control. In fact, the ultimate goal is to make Meaningful Human Control a legal requirement under International Law in order to allow it to serve as a potential solution for a number of moral and legal challenges that these fully autonomous weapons raise. This paper seeks to understand and elaborate on the benefits and the challenges that come with the integration of meaningful human control in the use of autonomous weapons systems.