REMIT’s research team member, and lead for WP4, Katja Creutz from the Finnish Institute of International Affairs has published a Briefing paper on the possible momentum to advance with regulation on Lethal autonomous weapon systems.
In her policy brief she discusses the thorny issues affecting decade-long international discussions and the recent developments within the UN, especially under the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW).
Abstract:
Lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS), or autonomous weapons, have raised concerns in the international community. While the majority of states have called for regulation, civil society organizations have advocated a pre-emptive ban on the use of autonomous weapons. In his 2023 New Agenda for Peace, the UN Secretary-General urged states to conclude a legally binding international agreement by 2026.
Time is of the essence, as technological development is advancing rapidly, and autonomous weapons have the potential to become a prominent feature of modern warfare. Conflicts such as those in Ukraine and Gaza serve as testing grounds for these weapons, contributing to the normalization of automated warfare and their integration into military structures.
Great powers are reluctant to regulate autonomous weapons, as they seek to avoid restrictions amid geopolitical rivalry and competition in strategic technologies. Innovation, military advantage and the preservation of great power status appear paramount.
A cross-regional group of states has called for the launch of international negotiations to regulate lethal autonomous weapon systems, following a decade of discussions under the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW). Some momentum for progress is visible, but the CCW’s consensus-based decision-making allows individual great powers to block decisions. While she recommends support for the CCW process, other possible regulatory avenues are also presented.
Full citation:
Creutz, K, “Lethal autonomous weapon systems: Regulatory momentum or global disconnect?”, Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA) Briefing Paper 437, June 2026
https://fiia.fi/en/publication/lethal-autonomous-weapon-systems