Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the level of need for international agreement on the limits on the development of AI weapons systems, including AI decision-making over the use of nuclear weapons.

The UK’s focus is on setting clear international norms for the safe and responsible development and use of AI, to ensure compliance with International Humanitarian Law through meaningful and context-appropriate levels of human control. We engage extensively with the international community and NGOs on this issue including through discussions at the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons.

More broadly, the UK is at the forefront of work internationally to champion strategic risk reduction, reduce the risk of nuclear conflict and enhance mutual trust and security. We will continue to promote and engage with international dialogue aimed at identifying and addressing strategic risks, including any risks that might arise from the incorporation of AI in strategic systems. In terms of UK strategic systems, we will ensure that human political control of nuclear weapons is maintained at all times.