Challenges to the governance and regulation of military AI

Lena Trabucco

Chapter 23 in Handbook on the Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence, 2026, pp 401-420 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Military artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly become a key measure of military power and a central part of ongoing geopolitical rivalry and tension. It is also evident that national security interests create significant barriers to regulating and governing military AI. Key challenges discussed in this chapter include infringements on sovereignty, strategic competition, the dual-use nature of AI, enforcement difficulties, and the absence of a global consensus on AI regulation. International law will likely play a more effective role when applied through customary international law rather than through treaties or other formal agreements. As military AI continues to develop and innovate, practices among states will start to emerge regarding the appropriate use of AI in warfare. One likely way for norms to form and for state practices to solidify is through the development of strategic partnerships. Collaborations on military AI are already underway, providing valuable opportunities to share values, create frameworks for integrating military AI, and address challenges to national security governance.

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence; Autonomous Weapons; International Relations; International Law; International Security; Alliances (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035338573
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