NATO’s Role in Responsible AI Governance in Military Affairs

Abstract

Abstract This chapter explores a role for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in the emerging military artificial intelligence (AI) governance architecture. As global powers compete for capabilities that AI can offer, NATO has the challenging task of recalibrating strategic relationships in the coming years. NATO has begun to recognize technological change as a necessary variable and, in turn, adapt its organizational composition and strategy to increase the Alliance’s capacity to meet emerging security challenges. As NATO bodies and Allies prepare for the impact of AI on future military operations, NATO has its own responsibility to steward AI in ways that promote harmonization among Allies and advance the NATO mission. Toward this effort, the chapter highlights two governance mechanisms within NATO’s competency—strategic and policy planning, and standards and certification—as practices that exemplify NATO’s power to shape the trajectory of technological development. We operationalize these governance tools by examining the three pillars that are particularly challenging for AI governance: ethics and values, legal norms, and safety and security. Within each pillar, we examine NATO’s facilitation of strategic policy planning and standards and certification to emerge as a leader in establishing responsible technological development and, ultimately, a more secure international security environment. This chapter finds there is space for NATO to pursue its agenda to maintain technological superiority not just to protect and defend its way of life, but to build on AI governance pillars to steward military innovation on a responsible trajectory.