Regulating lethal autonomous weapon systems: exploring the challenges of explainability and traceability

Abstract

We explore existing political commitments by states regarding the development and use of lethal autonomous weapon systems. We carry out two background reviewing efforts, the first addressing ethical and legal framings and proposals from recent academic literature, the second addressing recent formal policy principles as endorsed by states, with a focus on the principles adopted by the United States Department of Defense and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. We then develop two conceptual case studies. The first addresses the interrelated principles of explainability and traceability, leading to proposals for acceptable scope limitations to these principles. The second considers the topic of deception in warfare and how it may be viewed in the context of ethical principles for lethal autonomous weapon systems.