We strengthen public understanding of the law, international law, legal definitions and the institutions that uphold them.
Has International Law Fallen Behind Modern Warfare? The Legal Gap Around Drones and Autonomous Weapons
International humanitarian law requires distinction, proportionality, and precaution, standards designed for human decision makers. But what happens when machines, not humans, identify targets? How do we assign responsibility when autonomous systems malfunction or misinterpret data? Most states accept that existing law applies, but its application is increasingly strained. Critics argue that autonomous weapons introduce an accountability vacuum with no clear answer for whether liability should fall on programmers, commanders, states, or the systems themselves.

