Nations meet at UN for ‘killer robot’ talks as regulation lags

Countries met at the U.N. on Monday to revive stalled efforts to regulate AI-controlled autonomous weapons, which are increasingly used in modern conflicts like Ukraine and Gaza.

Despite growing reliance on AI in warfare, there are still no binding international rules, and progress has been slow since talks began in 2014.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has set a 2026 deadline for creating clear regulations, but human rights groups warn that consensus is lacking, Reuters has reported.

Monday’s meeting — the first U.N. General Assembly session focused on autonomous weapons — aims to build pressure for a legal treaty as technology advances rapidly.

Written by B.C. Begley