Defense Innovation Board Eyes Ethical Guidelines for Use of AI in Warfare

The Defense Innovation Board plans to come up with a set of ethical guidelines with regard to the use of artificial intelligence on the battlefield, Defense One reported Friday.

The board expects the guidelines to assuage concerns of potential Silicon Valley-based partners about the use of AI in military applications.

The report said the board led by former Alphabet and Google chairman Eric Schmidt will present the draft guidelines at its meeting in June for consideration by Pentagon leaders.

“It is critical that the forthcoming [Defense Innovation Board] recommendation to DoD is consistent with an ethics-first approach and upholds existing legal norms around warfare and human rights, while continuing to carry out the department’s enduring mission to keep the peace and deter war,” according to an announcement obtained by the publication.

“DIB members will collect and review all comments for consideration as they draft these AI principles in the coming months.”

The board will hold a public listening session about the proposed guidelines on Jan. 23 at Harvard Belfer Center, the report added.