The Centre for Civilians in Conflict has called for priorities to the development of clear guidelines and regulations governing the use of artificial intelligence and autonomous weapons in modern warfare.

The centre’s regional director for Africa and the Middle East, Vianney Bisimwa, made the call on Monday in Kaduna at the opening of a three-day workshop organised by the Nigerian Defence Academy in partnership with the centre.

M Bisimwa said the face of warfare had undergone a significant transformation, courtesy of emerging technologies. He said the advent of Al and autonomous weapons had revolutionised the way militaries operate.

Mr Bisimwa also said autonomous systems could reduce the risk of casualties and improve overall safety by removing humans from harm’s way. 

He added that the military had successfully utilised Al and autonomous weapons in various operations in Nigeria.

He, however, said in spite of the successes, concerns surrounding the use of Al and autonomous weapons were persisting. He said the potential for misapplication or inappropriate targeting by users remained a significant risk.

Moreover, he said the lack of transparency and accountability in developing and deploying the technologies raised ethical concerns. In some instances, he lamented that civilian lives had been threatened or lost due to misapplication or inappropriate targeting by users.

To address the concerns, he said it is essential to establish clear guidelines and regulations governing the use of AI and autonomous weapons.

He recommended developing standards for developing, testing and deploying autonomous systems and establishing clear human oversight and intervention protocols.

Mr Bisimwa called for ensuring transparency and accountability in developing and deploying AI and autonomous weapons.

(NAN)