The emergence of modern technology has transformed the nature of warfare in unprecedented ways. Advanced tools such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), loitering munitions, cyber weapons, and hypersonic missiles have made the conflicts more complex, fast-paced, and less predictable. One of the most prominent and debated innovations in this domain is AI-powered Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS). Currently, there is no universally agreed-upon definition of LAWS; however, they are usually referred to as the weapons systems that, once activated, “select targets and apply force without human intervention.”[1] Concerns with regards to its use and applications have been voiced repeatedly. On September 24, 2025, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, while addressing the UN Security Council on the implications of emerging technology, reiterated his calls for “the ban on lethal autonomous weapons systems operating without human control.” He argued that “AI is no longer a distant horizon” and “without guardrails, it can also be weaponized.”[2] The focus on the development of LAWS has been attributed to the advances in AI, robotics, sensor technologies, and real-time data processing, enabling the systems to independently identify, track, and engage the targets. Today, an increasing number of countries are allocating substantial resources towards acquiring autonomous systems and AI-driven command and control systems with an aim to gain technological and strategic advantage, especially during a conflict situation. Owing to the humanitarian and legal concerns, the deployment of fully lethal autonomous weapons is under debate. While some deployed systems possess semi-autonomous capabilities, the utilization of the fully autonomous mode in LAWS has not been implemented till date.
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