AI Autonomous Weapons

3 Credits · Level: Graduate

Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Weapons: Contemporary Challenges Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the nature of warfare, reshaping military strategy, international security, and its global governance. In this context, Autonomous Weapons Systems (AWS), weapon systems capable of selecting and engaging targets without further human intervention once activated, have moved from science fiction to today's battlefields. This interdisciplinary course explores how AI is changing the conduct of war and examines the ethical, legal, geopolitical, and governance challenges posed by autonomous weapons systems and other AI-enabled military systems. Drawing on international law, international relations, security studies, political science, ethics, and technology policy, students will examine both the opportunities and risks associated with military AI while developing a comprehensive understanding of the evolving governance landscape. The course introduces students to the foundations of AI and autonomy and then discusses new technologies in the military domain, including autonomous weapons, and other AI-enabled military systems. It then explores the main ethical and legal debates such as meaningful human control and appropriate levels of human judgement, human dignity, accountability, proportionality, bias, the delegation of lethal decision-making to machines, and weapons review. Students will also analyze the evolving international governance architecture, including discussions within the United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), recent United Nations General Assembly initiatives, and regional approaches developed by the European Union, the Council of Europe, the African Union, ASEAN, and the Organization of American States. The course also examines national governance initiatives, including U.S. Department of Defense policies, the National Defense Authorization Act, and recent legislative proposals in the United States, Colombia, and Brazil, to understand how domestic regulation may shape future international governance. The course combines conceptual discussions with applied learning through simulations, legislative analysis, policy exercises, and debates designed to prepare students to critically evaluate competing governance models and develop policy recommendations for governments, international organizations, civil society, and the private sector.