MGIMO assessed the position of Russia and the United States on artificial intelligence in conflicts

Russia and the United States share similar positions on the issue of state responsibility in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) during armed conflicts. This assessment was made in a conversation with Lenta.ru by Vadim Kozyulin, chief researcher at the Diplomatic Academy of MGIMO of the Russian Foreign Ministry, commenting on reports of Moscow and Washington blocking the preparation of a legally binding agreement on lethal autonomous weapons systems.

As Kozyulin emphasized, in fact, the efforts of Russia and the United States were aimed at trying to correct the document, ridding it of value judgments and bringing it into line with existing norms of international humanitarian law. In his opinion, in reality, a number of experts participating in the discussion tried to introduce into the draft agreement norms on the observance of human rights and ethical principles, which eroded its content.

The political scientist emphasized that from the point of view of Moscow and Washington, the main subjects regulating the dissemination and use of technology are, first of all, states. He recalled that existing norms of international humanitarian law provide for the responsibility of specific individuals in the event of the commission of possible war crimes, including those involving the use of AI.