Only humans are allowed to make decisions about the use of nuclear weapons

Only humans are allowed to make decisions about the use of nuclear weapons

Washington, 5/21/2023

A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers introduced the Block Nuclear Launch by Autonomous AI Act, which aims to codify a policy preventing AI systems from launching nuclear weapons.

The bill would ban the use of federal funds to deploy nuclear weapons by automated systems without „reasonable human control.“

The bicameral bill was introduced Wednesday by Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and US Reps. Ted Lieu (D-Mass.) and Don Beyer (D-Va.). and Ken Buck (R-Colo.). His co-sponsors are Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). It would codify Department of Defense rules requiring a human being to be aware of actions related to the deployment and use of nuclear weapons.

Markey explained that in the growing digital age, it is critical to ensure that humans, not robots, have the exclusive power to „command, control, and fire nuclear weapons.“

The bill also draws attention to the potential dangers of today’s autonomous AI systems and aims to demand similar commitments from China and Russia, as recommended in a 2021 report by the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence.