Issue Brief on “Nuclear Deterrence and Artificial Intelligence: Preserving Human Control in an Era of Strategic Instability”

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming all facets of life but especially revolutionizing warfare and defence. Major world powers have already begun the race to induct AI into modern warfare. AI-driven systems are increasingly transforming the nature of warfare and dominating modern battlefields.

There is also rapid integration of AI and machine learning into strategic weapons architecture and early-warning systems. While it affords many advantages, it also creates profound risks of accidental escalation and inadvertent warfare. At the same time, the rapid integration of AI in modern warfare and strategic weapons architecture remains largely unregulated. The nexus between nuclear deterrence and AI is very delicate. While there seems to be consensus that AI must not be given control over missile launches, there is an overall entanglement of AI within strategic weapons complexes. It is important to examine the role of AI in nuclear deterrence and future nuclear postures. The rapid AI revolution in modern warfare, defence, and weapons has meant that international law has not kept up with the pace of technology. Since AI introduces vulnerabilities to accidental escalation, global stability demands a binding international agreement that ensures meaningful human control over all nuclear launch decisions.