Autonomy in Weapon Systems

The future international security landscape will be critically impacted
by the military use of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics.
With the advent of autonomous weapon systems (AWS)
and a currently unfolding transformation of warfare, we have
reached a turning point and are facing a number of grave new
legal, ethical and political concerns.
In light of this, the Task Force on Disruptive Technologies and
21st Century Warfare, deployed by the Heinrich Böll Foundation,
argues that meaningful human control over weapon systems and
the use of force must be retained. In their report, the task force
authors offer recommendations to the German government and
the German armed forces to that effect.
The report argues that in following these recommendations the
German government would send a strong signal that Germany is
heeding its fundamental norms and values whilst living up to its
newly grown international responsibilities.