International Law and Artificial Intelligence in Armed Conflict

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in armed conflict is no longer exceptional and is set to become a recurrent feature of future warfare. It can inform decisions, identify threats, defend networks, generate deception, support humanitarian action, shape accountability, and much more. Developing effective guardrails for these uses will therefore be a defining challenge for the international community. Without such guardrails, AI may weaken civilian protection, intensify the risk of escalation, and erode the human judgment on which legal responsibility depends.International Law and Artificial Intelligence in Armed Conflict takes up that challenge by examining how international law responds to the growing use of AI in warfare, the uncertainty and knowledge gaps which remain, and what legal, institutional, and practical adaptations may be needed. While addressing a wide range of applications, a distinctive feature of the volume is its sustained attention to the convergence of AI and cyber capabilities in contemporary conflicts, viewed through the lens of international law. The book opens with scene-setting military, technical, humanitarian, and legal perspectives on the key issues framing the volume. The following three substantive parts examine selected applications of AI in armed conflict, the interplay between AI and cyber capabilities, and the challenge of ensuring compliance with international law. A future-oriented final part assesses whether existing legal frameworks are adequate, and considers possible forms of further normative development. Bringing together twenty-five leading and emerging experts from around the world, International Law and Artificial Intelligence in Armed Conflict combines in-depth analysis with operationally oriented recommendations. It will be of particular interest to government officials, military practitioners, legal advisers, policymakers, academics, and those involved in the design, development, procurement, deployment, and oversight of AI systems in armed conflict.