This multiauthored compendium offers a state-of-the-art summary of the artificial intelligence (AI) issues facing non-proliferation and disarmament. It pulls together four topics—Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain: Technical, Legal and Ethical Perspectives by Thomas Reinhold, Elisabeth Hoffberger-Pippan and Alexander Blanchard (section I); Artificial Intelligence and Chemical Weapons by Marc-Michael Blum (section II); Artificial Intelligence and Biological Weapons by Filippa Lentzos (section III); and Assessing the Implications of Integrating AI in Nuclear Decision-making Systems by Alice Saltini (section IV)—that, taken together, offer a concise overview of the proliferation- and disarmament-related challenges and opportunities that AI presents.

Section I describes how military organizations increasingly use AI to enhance operational effectiveness in weapon systems, decision support and intelligence, and illuminates some of the critical technological, legal and ethical challenges posed by AI’s integration into military organizations. Section II examines AI’s impacts on chemical weapons, highlighting emerging risks from state and non-state actors, the need for regulation to prevent misuse and the importance of global collaboration to uphold norms against chemical warfare. Section III explores security concerns raised by the intersection of AI and biology with a specific focus on the risk that AI could facilitate the deliberate use of bacteria and viruses to inflict harm, emphasizing the need for a nuanced and evidence-based understanding of these risks. Finally, section IV examines AI integration into nuclear command, control and communications systems, noting its potential to enhance intelligence and situational awareness alongside significant risks of unreliability, cyber threats, and misaligned decision making, while calling for international dialogue and regulatory measures to avert catastrophic escalation.

The texts compiled in this compendium were originally prepared as briefs in support of four ad hoc seminars on AI and arms control for the European Union and its member states.

Table of contents

I. Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain: Technical, Legal and Ethical Perspectives

by Thomas Reinhold, Elisabeth Hoffberger-Pippan and Alexander Blanchard

II. Artificial Intelligence and Chemical Weapons

by Marc-Michael Blum

III. Artificial Intelligence and Biological Weapons

by Filippa Lentzos

IV. Assessing the Implications of Integrating AI in Nuclear Decision-making Systems

by Alice Saltini

ABOUT THE AUTHOR(S)/EDITORS

Dr Thomas Reinhold is a Researcher at the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF).

Dr Elisabeth Hoffberger-Pippan is a Senior Researcher at the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF).

Dr Alexander Blanchard is a Senior Researcher in the Governance of Artificial Intelligence Programme at SIPRI.

Marc-Michael Blum is the former head of the laboratory of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

Dr Filippa Lentzos is an Associate Senior Researcher in the SIPRI Armament and Disarmament Programme.

Alice Saltini is a Non-Resident Expert on Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS).

Introduction