Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday warned a rise in the use of artificial intelligence in military systems can make future wars far more dangerous, raising serious risks for global peace and stability.
Addressing a high-level debate on A.I. in New York, he said that while the technology had simplified decision-making processes, it had also boosted conditions that can make future wars significantly more dangerous. He urged all states to ensure that technological advances are harnessed under the U.N. Charter for the benefit of humanity.
The defense minister noted Pakistan had introduced its first national A.I. policy earlier this year, reflecting the government’s commitment to responsible innovation while ensuring safeguards against misuse. “[The] world must adopt collective measures to prevent an uncontrolled arms race in this domain,” he said, stressing steps are required to ensure A.I. is harnessed to promote peace and development, not conflict and instability.
Referring to the four-day military standoff between India and Pakistan in May, Asif noted that “autonomous munitions and high-speed dual-capable cruise missiles were used by one nuclear-armed state against another” during the conflict. He warned that the instance demonstrates the “dangers that A.I. can pose.”
The minister stressed that A.I. lowers the threshold for use of force, making wars more politically and operationally feasible. “Let us preserve the primacy of human judgment, in matters of war and peace, ensuring that, even in an age of intelligent machines, innovation is guided by principles of morality and humanity,“ he said.
He concluded his speech by reiterating that Pakistan remains committed to supporting international efforts aimed at balancing technological progress with the imperatives of global peace and stability.
Transformative A.I.
Earlier, opening the debate, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said A.I. is “no longer a distant horizon—it is here, transforming daily life, the information space and the global economy at breathtaking speed.”
He said that when used “responsibly,” A.I. can strengthen prevention and protection in a myriad of ways, including anticipating food insecurity, supporting de-mining, and helping identify potential outbreaks of violence. Referring to A.I.-enabled cyberattacks that can disrupt critical infrastructure in minutes and threats to information integrity, he stressed that “innovation must serve humanity, not undermine it.”
The U.N. chief noted that the UNGA had established an Independent International Scientific Panel on A.I. and an annual Global Dialogue on AI Governance last month. He said humanity’s fate cannot be left to an algorithm as humans must always retain authority over life-and-death decisions.
Urging the council and member states to ensure that human control and judgment are preserved in every use of force, he again called for a ban on lethal autonomous weapons systems operating without human control, with a legally binding instrument by 2026. “Similarly, any decision in nuclear weapon use must rest with humans—not machines,” he added.