A senior United Nations disarmament official is urging the United States and China to begin direct discussions on military artificial intelligence, warning that "machine warfare is coming" as AI rapidly transforms modern combat. Speaking at Tsinghua University in Beijing, Robin Geiss, Director of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), said AI-powered autonomous weapons and increasingly automated battlefield systems are advancing much faster than global efforts to regulate them.
Geiss warned that the combination of rising geopolitical tensions, expanding military AI capabilities, and limited dialogue between major powers creates a dangerous security environment. While international discussions on regulating lethal autonomous weapons have continued for years, countries remain divided on whether legally binding global rules are achievable. As a result, meaningful international governance of military AI remains stalled.
Rather than waiting for a comprehensive global treaty, the UN expert called for a more pragmatic approach centered on bilateral cooperation between Washington and Beijing. He argued that, as the world's leading AI powers, the U.S. and China have a unique responsibility to establish confidence-building measures, improve transparency, and reduce the risks of accidental escalation involving AI-enabled military systems.
The warning reflects growing international concern that AI is reshaping warfare at an unprecedented pace. As autonomous systems become more capable and decision-making on the battlefield becomes increasingly automated, experts say governments must develop safeguards that ensure human oversight, reduce strategic instability, and prevent AI from increasing the likelihood of future conflicts.
