US Official Urges China, Russia to Ensure Human Control Over Nuclear Weapons, Not AI

The United States is pushing for a declaration that artificial intelligence would never be used to make decisions on deploying nuclear weapons. Paul Dean, a senior US official, urged China and Russia to match declarations made by the US, France, and Britain that only humans, and never AI, would have control over nuclear weapons deployment decisions.

Dean stated that this commitment to human control is an important norm of responsible behavior that the US would welcome from China and Russia. "The U.S. has made a clear and strong commitment that humans have total control over nuclear weapons, and he welcomed a similar statement from China and Russia," he said.

The remarks come as the Biden administration seeks to deepen discussions with China on nuclear weapons policy and the risks posed by artificial intelligence. The US and China have resumed talks on nuclear weapons, but formal arms control negotiations are not expected to begin in the near future.

Why this matters: The potential use of AI in nuclear weapons decision-making raises significant concerns about the risks of accidental launches or escalation. Securing commitments from major nuclear powers to maintain human control is seen as a critical step in mitigating these dangers.

While the US is pushing for this AI declaration, China has urged the largest nuclear powers to first negotiate a no-first-use treaty between each other. The ongoing discussions between the US and China also aim to address the growth of artificial intelligence more broadly. The two sides have agreed to hold their first bilateral talks on AI in the coming weeks to share views on managing risks and safety surrounding the technology.

Dean emphasized the importance of these efforts, stating that "This is an important norm of responsible behavior that the US would welcome from China and Russia." As the world's major nuclear powers grapple with the implications of AI, the outcome of these discussions could have far-reaching consequences for global security and stability.

Key Takeaways

• US urges China, Russia to commit to human control over nuclear weapons, not AI.
• US, France, Britain have made this commitment; US seeks similar pledges from China, Russia.
• Discussions aim to address risks of AI in nuclear decision-making, prevent accidental launches.
• China wants largest nuclear powers to first negotiate a no-first-use treaty.
• US, China to hold talks on managing AI risks and safety in the coming weeks.