The nature of war — defined by violence, chance and rationality — remains constant while the character of war — influenced by geopolitics, geo-economics, societal norms and technology — is prone to constant change. Over the decades, despite experiencing several Revolutions in Military Affairs (RMA) — marked by the invention of gunpowder, tanks, aircraft, and nuclear weapons — the phenomena described by the famous Prussian strategist Clausewitz remain relevant. In particular, modern conflicts are witnessing a revolutionary transformation in the nature of warfare, driven by the development and deployment of AI-based weapon systems.

Advancements in the field of AI has enabled the introduction of Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems (LAWS) that have the ability to autonomously scan, identify, lock and destroy as well as carry out battle damage assessment over a range of airborne, seaborne and ground based targets with remarkable accuracy. AI-based systems are impacting various domains and influencing decision-making processes at different levels. However, this autonomy often leads to unacceptable collateral damage, posing challenges not only to the desired level of human control but also raising serious concerns about the extent of decision-making autonomy granted to machines.

More and more countries and military industrial complexes worldwide are spending billions of dollars and dedicating resources to surpass others in the pursuit of AI-enabled command and control systems. In 2017, the UN Office for Disarmament........

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