Yesterday in Vienna, participants at a conference on weapon systems powered by artificial intelligence (AI) called for an international set of rules for their use.
“We have a responsibility to make and act on the rules necessary to protect humanity. “Human restraint should prevail in the use of force,” the final report is to be sent to the UN Secretary-General.
“The Oppenheimer-Moment”
Referring to American physicist Robert Oppenheimer, the chief developer of the atomic bomb, the participants wrote: “This is our generation's 'Oppenheimer moment.'” Geopolitical tensions threaten to lead to scientific progress that could lead humanity down a more dangerous path.
Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) said at the start of the two-day conference that arms regulation was important in the current development phase. “Technology is growing at breakneck speed, politics is lagging behind.” There is a “small window” for action.
142 countries participated
900 people from 142 countries participated in the conference, including politicians, experts and civil society organizations.
In 2023, Austria became the first country to submit a UN resolution to regulate autonomous weapons systems. This was approved by the majority of the UN General Assembly.
