The United Nations is creating a new international forum on military uses of artificial intelligence. The forum will bring governments, technology companies, researchers and civil society together as AI expands into early-warning systems, intelligence gathering, reconnaissance and other military activities.
UNIDIR Forum Opens Thursday
The U.N. Institute for Disarmament Research, known as UNIDIR, will launch the forum on October 22. The forum is part of UNIDIR’s Centre of Excellence on AI, Peace and Security. (UNIDIR event listing)
UNIDIR director Robin Geiss told The Associated Press that the initiative will examine how close military systems may be getting to operating beyond meaningful human control. He said the center received funding from the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France. (Associated Press report)
Nuclear Decisions Stay Human
Geiss said the margin for human judgment is becoming narrower, including in the nuclear domain. He also pointed to AI uses in early-warning systems, information gathering and reconnaissance.
The new forum will give countries and other groups a place to identify risks, compare national policies and discuss possible safeguards. Earlier U.N. discussions stressed that decisions involving the use of nuclear weapons must remain under human authority. (United Nations statement)
Industry Guidance Takes Shape
Alongside the forum, UNIDIR is developing voluntary guidance for companies involved in military AI. The organization says decisions made during design and development can affect whether AI-enabled military capabilities are reliable, predictable and consistent with international law.
UNIDIR will consult defense technology companies, software developers, subcontractors, investors, governments, civil society, academics and other experts. The work will help define how international rules and human-rights principles should apply to military AI.
References
Lederer, E. M. (2026, October 20). New UN initiative will aim to tackle the military uses of AI. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/e0a3c48c91a9de89cab72609d185f658
United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research. (n.d.). UNIDIR’s Centre of Excellence on AI, Peace and Security: Forum launch. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://unidir.org/event/?focus-area=artificial-intelligence
United Nations. (2025, September 24). Secretary-General’s remarks to the Security Council open debate on artificial intelligence and international peace and security. https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statements/2025-09-24/secretary-generals-remarks-the-security-council-open-debate-artificial-intelligence-and-international-peace-and-security-bilingual-delivered-scroll-down-for-all