Confirm Humanity: Legal and Ethical Challenges of Military Artificial Intelligence and Governance Pathways

In this thesis, I explore how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being used in the military and what are the legal and ethical implications of that. One key focus is Autonomous Weapons Systems (AWS), which are weapons that can operate without human control. I examine what it means to have “Meaningful Human Control” over these systems and whether that is enough to keep them ethical and legal. I also study how private companies play an increasing role in developing military AI and what responsibilities they have regarding human rights.

My research combines perspectives from law, ethics, and technology. I look at how AI can be used maliciously, how it challenges traditional military decision-making, and how it could be governed more responsibly. I propose a framework for governing military AI that includes different levels of regulation: from international treaties to public-private partnerships and decentralized tools. Ultimately, I argue that no single approach will solve all the problems, but combining legal, ethical, and technical strategies can help ensure military AI is developed and used in a way that respects human dignity and international law.