ICRC position on autonomous weapon systems

Notes

Official institutional position paper from the ICRC, the custodian of IHL; reliability sits slightly above the primary_doc prior because ICRC positions are directly citable in IHL discourse.

Evidence from this source (4)

• CDFor autonomous weapon systems not subject to outright prohibition, the ICRC rec… support
  weight

  0.95

  method: primary_testimony · locator: Recommendations section, third bullet and sub-bullets

  “the design and use of autonomous weapon systems that would not be prohibited should be regulated, including through a combination of: limits on the types of target ... limits on the duration, geographical scope and scale of use ... limits on situations of use ... requirements for human-machine interaction”

• CDThe ICRC recommends that States adopt new legally binding rules expressly prohi… support
  weight

  0.95

  method: primary_testimony · locator: Recommendations section, first bullet

  “Unpredictable autonomous weapon systems should be expressly ruled out, notably because of their indiscriminate effects.”

• CDThe ICRC recommends a legally binding prohibition on the use of autonomous weap… support
  weight

  0.95

  method: primary_testimony · locator: Recommendations section, second bullet

  “use of autonomous weapon systems to target human beings should be ruled out”

• CDThe ICRC defines autonomous weapon systems as weapons that, after initial activ… support
  weight

  0.95

  method: primary_testimony · locator: Section: The ICRC's concerns about autonomous weapon systems, para 1

  “After initial activation or launch by a person, an autonomous weapon system self-initiates or triggers a strike in response to information from the environment received through sensors and on the basis of a generalized "target profile".”