AI, War and International Humanitarian Law

In this episode of Multilateralism Unpacked, Eleonore Fournier-Tombs, Head of Anticipatory Action and Innovation at UNU-CPR, speaks with Laurent Gisel, Head of the Arms and Conduct of Hostilities Unit at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), about one of the most urgent challenges in global governance: the rise of AI-enabled autonomous weapons.

Military investment in AI is accelerating, and systems capable of independently selecting and attacking targets are already being developed. Gisel explains how the use of these weapons can violate the principles of the Geneva Conventions.

Drawing on a recent ICRC report to the UN Secretary-General, as well as the ongoing activities of the UN’s First Committee, which deals with disarmament and international security, the podcast explores the various military uses of AI and considers the urgent need for a new international treaty on lethal autonomous weapons systems.

Related information:

The Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocols: https://www.icrc.org/en/law-and-policy/geneva-conventions-and-their-commentaries

ICRC Submission to the UN Secretary-General on Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain: https://www.icrc.org/sites/default/files/2025-04/ICRC_Report_Submission_to_UNSG_on_AI_in_military_domain.pdf

United Nations Resolution 78/241 on lethal autonomous weapons: https://docs.un.org/en/A/RES/78/241