Mahmood Khalid (Ziauddin U) has posted “The Use of Autonomous Weapons in the Ukraine Conflict:Assessing Compliance with IHL Principles” on SSRN. Here is the abstract:
This research paper examines how Autonomous Weapon Systems (AWS) are being used in the war between Russia and Ukraine and evaluates how well they adhere to the fundamental rules of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), such as proportionality, distinction, and caution. Based on actual case studies using Ukrainian AI-enabled drones and surveillance platforms and Russian loitering bombs, the study examines the level of human control, the consequences for accountability, and the operation of autonomous systems on the battlefield. It assesses the moral and legal ramifications of giving machines the ability to make deadly decisions, emphasizing potential dangers such attribution errors, automation bias, and a lack of contextual judgment. The paper also looks at existing international legal frameworks, including the Geneva Conventions, CCW, and customary IHL, and finds weaknesses in their capacity to control new technology. The article claims that current rules are unable to handle the growing threat posed by AWS, citing expert viewpoints, particularly Paul Scharre’s work on autonomy in warfare. In order to guarantee accountability, protect human dignity, and stop abuse, it ends by assessing current regulatory initiatives and suggesting legislative changes. In the end, the situation in Ukraine is a real-world experiment that highlights how urgent it is to have complete international oversight of AWS.