what is the difference between armed conflict and armed revolution

However, it may still be possible to utilise AWS and comply with the principle of distinction with Kenneth Anderson and Matthew Waxman arguing that AWS can still be used against other mechanised weapons or in situations where non-combatant populations are scarce. Better yet, a lack of definition surrounding the inherent differences between a combatant and a non-combatant does not provide programmers with a workable definition to integrate into technology. The Campaign to Stop Killer Robots argues that ‘as machines, they lack the inherent human characteristics that are necessary to make ethical choices’. Whilst AWS and AI does pose an opportunity for ‘ bloodless’ battles due to the exclusion of humans from the battlefield, many claim that AWS and AI are not yet capable of determining between combatants and non-combatants. The four principles (distinction, humanity, proportionality and military necessity) of IHL is the measuring stick used for determining the legality of new technologies in the battlespace.

Military minds are at a crossroads as to whether IHL should adapt to this new approach to warfare or whether AWS and AI needs to comply with IHL. With the implementation of such technology in warfare, understanding the legal, moral and ethical considerations of their application in the battlespace has resulted in a considerable chicken-and-egg conundrum: whether IHL needs to adapt in anticipation for the development of AWS and AI technology, or if such technology needs to comply with the preexisting IHL principles.Īdhering to International Humanitarian LawĪs AWS and AI technology develops, it's critical to begin discussing how such technology might interfere or change IHL. Warfare is consistently shaped by forces beyond the battlefield, creating complexities for military operations and challenges for the application of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) that regulates armed conflicts.Įntering into the third revolution in warfare, the enhancement of Autonomous Weapon Systems (AWS) with machine learning capabilities and Artificial Intelligence (AI) can generate highly effective weapons to replace human combatants and conventional armaments.

What is the difference between armed conflict and armed revolution