Call to action on responsible use of AI in the military domain

February 22, 2023

Call to action on responsible use of AI in the military domain

News item | 16-02-2023 | 16:38

Government representatives meeting at the REAIM summit have agreed a joint call to action on the responsible development, deployment and use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the military domain. The two-day summit was organised by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defence. South Korea was the co-host.

Call to action on responsible use of AI in the military domain

The summit brought together some 2000 delegates from governments, businesses, civil society organisations, academia and thinktanks from all over the world. With their joint call to action (see the CtA attachment and the country list), the participating countries and other stakeholders underlined the need to put the responsible use of AI higher on the political agenda and to further promote initiatives that make a contribution in this respect.

Establishment of Global Commission on AI

A Global Commission on AI is to be established to raise all-round awareness, clarify how to define AI in the military domain and determine how this technology can be developed, manufactured and deployed responsibly. The Commission will also set out the conditions for the effective governance of AI.

Summit host Wopke Hoekstra, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, commented: ‘With this REAIM summit we’ve clearly established the urgent nature of this subject. We now need to take further steps. I’m delighted that we’ve been able to reach agreement on this. The Netherlands will remain a driving force behind efforts to conclude international agreements in this area.’

Host Kajsa Ollongren, the Minister of Defence, said: ‘AI is of crucial importance to the armed forces of the future. With the right frameworks and legislation in place, using AI will make our operational and logistical processes simpler and more efficient. AI also enables us to take faster, better-informed decisions. In this way we not only protect our own troops, but we can also limit harm and casualties to the greatest extent possible. In order to ensure that we use AI in a responsible manner, we will continue to work closely with our partners within existing alliances, such as the EU and NATO, but also with NGOs, thinktanks, educational and knowledge institutions and businesses. By doing so, we will be investing in our freedom.’

The REAIM summit was co-hosted by South Korea. Like the Netherlands, South Korea has been encouraging countries to contribute actively to the dialogue on the responsible use of AI in the military domain. This has helped to ensure contributions to the summit from participants and government representatives from all over the world.

A varied summit programme

The REAIM summit featured contributions from leading experts on AI in the military domain. In a wide-ranging programme, it offered break-out sessions, workshops, interviews, talkshows, an academic forum and a student hub. It also included a ‘Responsible Innovation Hub’, enabling companies to showcase their products and responsible innovations.