IGF 2025 Open Forum #79 A Oppenheimer Moment: The Need for Regulating Autonomous Weapon Systems

At the last Internet Governance Forum in 2024 international experts gathered to address one of the most critical technological challenges of our time: the regulation of autonomous weapons systems (AWS). This pivotal discussion, hosted by Austria, brought together diplomats, academia, technologists, civil society representatives and security experts to explore the profound implications of AWS for the first time in the IGF. As the pace technology pace on the development of such system has picked up speed, this discussion should be continued in through multistakeholder engagement at the IGF. The Open Forum will follow-up on the discussion on recent developments and new perspectives of the need for regulation of Autonomous Weapons Systems (AWS). The 79th UN General Assembly in October discussed the AWS Report of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres published in July 2024 pursuant to the UN Resolution 78/241, introduced by Austria in 2023, and supported by the overwhelming majority of UN member states. In winter 2024, the UN General Assembly adopted two resolutions: the follow up resolution sponsored by Austria and a cross-regional group of co-sponsors, which is aimed to intensify the AWS discussion and another one sponsored by the Netherlands and the Republic of Korea together with a cross-regional group of co-sponsors on the application of AI in the military domain more broadly, which goes beyond AWS. For May 2025, the UN organized a two-day multi-istakeholder informal consultation on AWS. The call of the UN Secretary General and the ICRC President, supported by many states, to conclude negotiations on a legally binding instrument on AWS by 2026 is still on the table and drawing closer by the day. The IGF Open Forum will contribute to build more public awareness of the challenges around AWS in a world of new political turbulences and risks. Stakeholders from different communities will discuss the various aspects – political, legal, ethical, humanitarian, technical etc. – of the development and use of AWS and consider ideas, how to contribute to the development of a regulatory framework for autonomous weapon systems as a contribution to peace and security and the achievement of the development goals.

Onsite and online participation