This policy briefing presents a feminist analysis of military artificial intelligence. It moves beyond euphemistic framings of ‘strategic technological advancements’ to critically examine the practical, ethical, and legal risks associated with the deployment of AI in warfare – as well as the related gendered and humanitarian concerns.
In order to demonstrate that the threats posed by military AI are neither hypothetical nor remote, the briefing grounds its analysis in the concrete case study of Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza. The unprecedented scale and speed of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and the resulting civilian casualties make it a pivotal case for understanding the harms associated with military AI and the ways in which algorithmic warfare can render innocent lives expendable.
As the use of artificial intelligence in war continues to outpace its regulation, profound ethical, legal, and humanitarian concerns remain unaddressed. Feminist and human-centred solutions are urgently needed to forge pathways towards more inclusive, accountable, and responsible governance frameworks, and to counter the risks associated with new technologies employed in violent conflict.