Proud to announce a new dashboard! Based on the work of our Finnish partner Katja Creutz at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, the dashboard explores the regulation of lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWs), and the attitudes towards it.
As the author herself explains:
“The dashboard examines the growing international debate over lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS). It highlights the tension between rapid technological development and the slower development of international rules governing these systems. The UN Secretary-General has called for urgent action by 2026 so that technological development regarding LAWS does not outpace governance efforts. However, states remain divided on how to proceed as well as to the perceived benefits and risks with LAWS.
While most states support some form of regulation and civil society organisations have called for a pre-emptive ban, great powers seem reluctant to regulate LAWS. States are also divided not only on the content of possible regulation, but also on its form – should a treaty be adopted or not? Most states seem to support a so-called two-tier approach, where systems that cannot be used in compliance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL) are prohibited and other systems are regulated.
In 2026, a growing number of states have urged starting negotiations on regulation within the framework of the Convention for Certain Conventional Weapons, where a Group of Governmental Experts have discussed LAWS and its elements for a decade. At this point in time, it remains open whether steps forward will be taken despite the increased appetite for moving forward.
The dashboard has been prepared based on my 2026 FIIA Briefing Paper, “Lethal autonomous weapon systems: Regulatory momentum or global disconnect?”.“