UN Backs Artificial Intelligence For Army (Worthy News Investigation)

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

NEW YORK/THE HAGUE/SEOUL (Worthy News) – A United Nations General Assembly committee has adopted the U.N.’s first-ever resolution on the “responsible” military use of artificial intelligence (AI), Dutch and South Korean officials confirmed Monday.

“The Netherlands wants better global agreements on the military use of AI” amid concerns the technology could otherwise lead to a global arms race and deaths, the Dutch government said.

“That is why we, together with South Korea, submitted the very first resolution on this topic to the United Nations. This resolution was adopted on 6 November 2024,” the government added in a statement obtained by Worthy News.

The resolution, which will lead to a global agreement on AI’s “responsible” military use, was accepted by 165 countries, including the United States, Japan, and China, at the First Committee of the General Assembly, Worthy News learned. Yet, in a worrying sign to critics, autocratically ruled North Korea and Russia opposed it, while six other states abstained, according to Korean sources familiar with the voting.

The resolution was due to be submitted to a plenary session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York next month.

Any agreement on AI could impact wars ranging from armed conflicts between Israel and Iran’s proxies to ongoing and expected wars in Ukraine, Africa, Asia, and elsewhere, according to a Worthy News assessment.

“Around the world, armed forces are investing in AI technology in order to make decisions more quickly, predict behavior or to distinguish between friend and foe,” the Dutch government noticed.“But the military use of AI also brings with it great dangers and dilemmas, such as: Who is responsible when AI makes a mistake? Can AI be trusted with life-and-death decisions? How can we prevent AI from causing a new arms race?”

RESPONSIBLE USE

AI is developing rapidly, making “it increasingly important to make agreements to ensure that countries use this technology in a responsible manner, especially in the military domain,” the Netherlands said.

“The purpose of the newly adopted U.N. resolution is to ensure that this issue is discussed more often and in greater detail, with all the countries in the world. AI technology is important for a strong and future-proof military, but there are also major risks associated with it.”

The resolution the Netherlands and South Korea put forward discusses“the risks and opportunities” countries see, laying the “foundation for international norms that countries must follow. That is especially important in light of all the conflicts in the world – where AI is already in regular use.”

Previously, the United States and China submitted resolutions on using AI in the civil (non-military) domain.

The latest resolution came after the Netherlands and South Korea hosted international conferences in 2023 and this year on the “responsible development, application, and use of AI in the military domain” (REAIM). “The new resolution is the result of a joint call to action that government representatives issued at REAIM 2023 in the Netherlands,” the Dutch government said.

The Netherlands and South Korea initiated the resolution at a time when both nations are among the global leaders in the chip production-related industry.

The Netherlands hosts ASML (Advanced Semiconductor Materials Lithography), the world’s sole supplier of extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) machines required to manufacture the most advanced chips.

LARGEST FIRM

As of October 1, 2024, Eindhoven-based ASML was the largest semiconductor firm of European origin in terms of market capitalization, amounting to 327.44 billion U.S., according to official data.

With AI expanding, the European Union will invest 133 million euros ($142 million)in pilot production facilities for photonic semiconductors in the Netherlands, the Dutch economy ministry said on Monday.

The funding is part of 380 million euros ($405 million) set aside to establish photonic semiconductor production plants in Europe under the Chips Joint Undertaking (CJU), a European public-private initiative “to promote research and development in the semiconductor industry.”

That trails South Korea, striving for world dominance in chip production by investing $470 billion in a semiconductor “mega cluster” outside Seoul, the capital.

The move comes as the U.S.-China rivalry reportedly complicates supply chains.

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