State Department: Nearly All US States Endorse Responsible Military AI Usage Guidance

The Department of State said 47 states have endorsed a declaration for the responsible use of artificial technologies and automation for global militaries that the U.S. government first launched in the Netherlands in mid-February.

According to the Department of Defense, the “Political Declaration on Responsible Military Use of Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy” comprises non-legally binding guidelines on how to implement the aforesaid technologies responsibly. The guidelines stipulate that AI and automation technologies should be auditable, have well-defined uses, be subject to holistic testing and evaluation and be able to detect and avoid malicious behaviors.

The guidelines include 10 measures to guide responsible military AI technology development and use. They include sufficient and consistent reviews, adherence to international humanitarian laws, effective oversight implementation, bias mitigation and adequate training, Defense .gov reported.

The guidance is one of several efforts by the U.S. government to ensure that militaries use AI technologies responsibly.

In June, the House Armed Services Committee asked the Pentagon to develop an oversight process for military AI capabilities. The oversight process will be handled by the Chief Digital and AI Office, which would create criteria to determine if technologies are working as intended and if personnel are using the technology responsibly.