Canada Develops Military AI with Blair’s Endorsement of International Agreement
Defence Minister Bill Blair of Canada stated that while the country is working on incorporating artificial intelligence in its military, the technology is not meant to replace humans.
Blair made these comments at a summit in Seoul, South Korea, where Canada was one of the 61 countries to endorse a new document on the responsible military use of AI.
Canada aims to make the Canadian Armed Forces an “AI-enabled” organization by 2030 as part of a strategy launched earlier this year, according to Blair.
He emphasized the importance of effectively and ethically harnessing AI technology, stating that it should enhance the work of military personnel rather than replace it.
Blair pledged to ensure that humans will always play a crucial role in significant decision-making processes, with appropriate accountability measures in place.
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Additionally, the strategy highlights the importance of collaborative efforts with allies to ensure efficient development, integration, and management of AI technologies.
The document warns that Canada’s allies are rapidly adopting AI and stresses the need for Canada to keep pace, especially as the technology becomes more accessible to potential adversaries.
Countries endorsing the “blueprint for action” in Seoul include the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and France, while China, Russia, and Israel are notably absent from the list of endorsers.
The summit in South Korea built upon a previous inaugural summit in the Netherlands, where countries, including Canada, supported an earlier document on the responsible use of AI.
The “blueprint” from the recent event acknowledges the transformative potential of AI in military affairs but also highlights the humanitarian, societal, and ethical risks associated with its military use.
The document emphasizes the necessity of adhering to national and international laws when using AI technology in the military and underscores that responsibility and accountability should always rest with humans, not machines.
It calls for safeguards to mitigate risks of malfunctions or unintended consequences, including biases in data or algorithms, and stresses the importance of ensuring that humans can understand, explain, and trust the outputs from AI systems.
Furthermore, the document advocates for a shared understanding and open dialogue regarding the application of AI in the military domain, asserting that AI applications should uphold international peace, security, and stability.
