Informal consultations on autonomous weapon systems demonstrate wide support for a legally binding treaty

15 May 2025

The informal consultations on autonomous weapon systems (AWS), held at the UN in New York on 12 and 13 May 2025, provided an expansive consideration of many legal, humanitarian, security, technological, and ethical dimensions of these weapons. The consultations were intended as a space to enlarge the scope of discussions on AWS from what has taken place at the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) at the UN Geneva. They were also oriented toward offering a chance for delegations not represented at the GGE to learn and engage. The consultations fulfilled both objectives, with at least 96 states and many civil society groups participating actively to offer views and raise questions needing further examination.

Most of the states and civil society groups, along with many of the expert briefers and representative of various UN agencies, strongly supported the development of a legally binding instrument on AWS. Several supported an outright ban on weapon systems that can target human beings or that cannot be operated with meaningful human control. This reflects the growing convergence at the GGE in support of a treaty that prohibits, restricts, and regulates AWS. The UN Secretary-General and President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have jointly called for the elaboration of such a treaty by 2026. This call was amplified and supported by several participants at the international consultations.

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