Challenges in Regulating Lethal Autonomous Weapons Under International Law

28 Southwestern Journal of International Law 101-118 (2020).

18 Pages Posted: 5 Mar 2021

See all articles by Shane Reeves

Shane Reeves

United States Military Academy, West Point

Ronald T.P. Alcala

United States Military Academy, West Point

Amy McCarthy

Department of Law

Date Written: December 1, 2020

Abstract

Since 2017, the United Nations (UN) has regularly convened a group of government experts (GGE) to explore the technical, legal, and ethical issues surrounding the deployment of lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS). To date, these efforts have failed. This paper outlines the challenges states face in creating international regulatory schemes for LAWS. These challenges arise from several sources: difficulty in defining concepts related to LAWS, disagreements over potential substantive restrictions, and the specific nature of the weapons systems themselves, which may influence states’ willingness to be bound by international law.

Keywords: international law, law of armed conflict, lethal autonomous weapons, united nations, artificial intelligence, LAWS, Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons

JEL Classification: K100, K33

Suggested Citation

Reeves, Shane and Alcala, Ronald and McCarthy, Amy, Challenges in Regulating Lethal Autonomous Weapons Under International Law (December 1, 2020). 28 Southwestern Journal of International Law 101-118 (2020)., Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3775864

Shane Reeves (Contact Author)

United States Military Academy, West Point ( email )

600 Thayer Rd
West Point, NY 10996
United States

Ronald Alcala

United States Military Academy, West Point ( email )

600 Thayer Rd
West Point, NY 10996
United States

Amy McCarthy

Department of Law ( email )

600 Thayer Rd
West Point, NY 10996
United States

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