Autonomous Weapon Systems: Implications of Increasing Autonomy in the Critical Functions of Weapons

Debates on autonomous weapon systems have expanded significantly in recent years in diplomatic, military, scientific, academic and public forums. In March 2014, the ICRC convened an international expert meeting to consider the relevant technical, military, legal and humanitarian issues. Expert discussions at a Meeting of Experts convened by the High Contracting Parties to the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) were held in April 2014 and continued in April 2015 and April 2016.

As a further contribution to the international discussions, the ICRC convened this second expert meeting, entitled Autonomous Weapon Systems: Implications of Increasing Autonomy in the Critical Functions of Weapons, from 15 to 16 March 2016. It brought together representatives from 20 States and 14 individual experts in robotics, law, policy and ethics.

This publication can be found on the ICRC website here.