Artificial intelligence and international peace and security

The realization that artificial intelligence (AI)—and its implications for peace and security—is a multifaceted issue that requires a multifaceted response was evident in 2025. It was reflected in AI’s appearance on agendas across intergovernmental processes and forums, both within and outside the United Nations. As such, global efforts to address the challenges and opportunities that AI presents for international peace and security increased in breadth and depth during the year. Discussions on autonomous weapon systems (AWS) expanded from Geneva to New York, the secretary-general of the United Nations published his first-ever report on AI in the military domain, and the UN General Assembly agreed to convene informal exchanges in 2026 on the peace and security implications of military AI. Efforts to understand the implications of civilian AI for peace and security also continued to evolve, for example, with UN member states agreeing to establish an Independent International Scientific Panel on AI (IISPAI). That said, many of the conversations on the peace and security implications of AI have remained at the exploratory stage—focusing on agreeing terminology and identifying key concerns, rather than, for example, devising concrete means to address those implications.