The governance of artificial intelligence (AI) is a hot topic these days, and nowhere is the importance and urgency of managing the rapid development of AI, and its downside risks, more evident than in the field of military technology.  From nightmare scenarios involving ‘killer robots’ to the real-world transformation of battlefield spaces by AI-assisted drones in Ukraine, advances in military AI are accelerating at a moment when the institutions of global governance that might be expected to place guardrails around their unrestrained use are themselves under increasingly strain.  In the context of ongoing multilateral discussions around how military AI should be governed, and whether it can be, this workshop brings together a distinguished panel of experts to take stock of current developments in the military AI field, assess both the prospects for and obstacles to meaningful ‘governance’ in this area, and reflect on current practice as it is evolving in Ukraine and elsewhere.
About the Panelists
Alexander Blanchard is a Senior Researcher in the Governance of Artificial Intelligence Programme at SIPRI. His work focuses on issues related to the development, use and control of military applications of artificial intelligence (AI). His current work focuses on the control of autonomy in weapon systems as well as organizational practices for the governance of AI. Before joining SIPRI, Alexander was the Dstl Digital Ethics Fellow at the Alan Turing Institute in London. Alexander was also previously Assistant Lecturer in Science and Technology Studies at the University of Copenhagen.
Branka Marijan leads the research on the military and security implications of emerging technologies. Her work examines ethical concerns regarding the development of autonomous weapons systems and the impact of artificial intelligence and robotics on security provision and trends in warfare. She holds a PhD from the Balsillie School of International Affairs with a specialization in conflict and security. She has conducted research on post-conflict societies and published academic articles and reports on the impacts of conflict on civilians and diverse issues of security governance, including security sector reform.
Elke Schwarz holds a PhD from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), an MA in Conflict Studies from the War Studies Department at King’s College London (KCL) and a Bachelor in Business Studies from Belmont University (USA). Prior to coming to QMUL, she held academic positions at UCL, Anglia Ruskin University and Leicester University. Her work focuses on the nexus of ethics, technology and politics / warfare with a specific emphasis on new and emerging military technologies, including military Artificial Intelligence (AI), autonomous weapon systems, drones and robots.
