South Korea Summit Aims to Create ‘Blueprint’ for Military AI Use, Reports Reuters

By Joyce Lee

SEOUL – South Korea held an international summit on Monday aimed at creating a framework for the responsible application of artificial intelligence (AI) in military contexts, although any potential agreements are expected to be non-binding.

Representatives from over 90 countries, including major powers like the United States and China, gathered in Seoul for this two-day event, marking the second meeting of its kind. The inaugural summit took place in Amsterdam last year, where participants issued a modest "call to action" without any legal commitments.

"In the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, an AI-powered Ukrainian drone acted as a modern-day David against Goliath," South Korean Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun remarked during his opening speech. He highlighted Ukraine’s use of AI-driven drones to gain a technological advantage over Russia, particularly in overcoming signal jamming and enabling coordinated operations of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Kim noted, "The integration of AI into military operations significantly enhances capabilities, but it also poses risks, as it can lead to potential misuse."

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul explained that discussions would focus on various aspects, including a legal framework to ensure alignment with international laws and mechanisms to prevent autonomous weapons from making critical life-and-death decisions without human oversight.

The summit aims to create a blueprint for action that sets basic guidelines for military AI use, incorporating principles established by NATO, the U.S., and other nations, according to a senior South Korean official. It remains uncertain how many attendees will endorse the proposed document, which seeks to provide a more detailed framework governing military AI but is still likely to lack enforceable legal commitments.

This summit is part of broader international discussions concerning the military application of AI. Nations that are members of the 1983 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) are deliberating potential regulations on lethal autonomous weapons systems to ensure compliance with international humanitarian law. Additionally, the U.S. government launched a declaration last year advocating for responsible AI use in military applications, which has garnered support from 55 countries as of August.

The Seoul summit, co-hosted by the Netherlands, Singapore, Kenya, and the United Kingdom, aims to foster ongoing multi-stakeholder dialogues in an area largely driven by private sector innovations, while government entities remain the key decision-makers.

Approximately 2,000 participants, including representatives from international organizations, academia, and the private sector, are registered to engage in discussions on topics such as civilian safety and the role of AI in managing nuclear arsenals.