New technologies and AI: envisioning future directions for UNSCR 1540

TL;DR

This paper explores how AI technologies pose new and escalating risks to WMD proliferation under UNSCR 1540, emphasizing the need for updated international governance to address these emerging threats.

Contribution

It analyzes the impact of AI on WMD risks and proposes expanding UNSCR 1540 to include AI-related threats and governance measures.

Findings

AI can exacerbate existing WMD risks through autonomous weapons

Generative AI introduces new proliferation challenges

International frameworks need updating to manage AI-driven threats

Abstract

This paper investigates the emerging challenges posed by the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the military domain, particularly within the context of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 (UNSCR 1540), which seeks to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). While the resolution initially focused on nuclear, chemical, and biological threats, the rapid advancement of AI introduces new complexities that were previously unanticipated. We critically analyze how AI can both exacerbate existing risks associated with WMDs (e.g., thorough the deployment of kamikaze drones and killer robots) and introduce novel threats (e.g., by exploiting Generative AI potentialities), thereby compromising international peace and security. The paper calls for an expansion of UNSCR 1540 to address the growing influence of AI technologies in the development, dissemination, and potential misuse of WMDs, urging the creation of a governance framework to mitigate these emerging risks.