US Seeks Pledge by PRC, Russia Saying AI Won't Control Nuclear Weapons

0:00

/1861

1×

Facts

• A US official claimed during an online briefing on Thursday that the US had encouraged both Russia and China to openly declare that nuclear weapons should always be in the control of humans rather than artificial intelligence (AI).¹
• Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary (PDAS) Paul Dean stated that following public announcements by the US, UK, and France that any military nuclear decision would 'only be made by a human being,' Washington would 'welcome a similar statement' by Russia and China.²
• The member of the Bureau of Arms Control, Deterrence, and Stability described Russian and Chinese declarations as announcements that would be 'welcomed in a P5 context,' (e.g. the permanent members of the UN Security Council) while commenting that the US also 'profoundly' regretted Russia's retraction of the New START Treaty.²
• In 2023 Russia announced the suspension of its agreement with the US allowing the inspection and reduction of each nation's nuclear facilities and weapons respectively. The treaty — extended in 2021 — was intended to remain in effect until 2026.³
• Alongside the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons believes that Israel, Pakistan, India, and North Korea also possess nuclear weapons.⁴
• The Campaign estimates there to be over 12.5K nuclear warheads globally — down from a peak of approximately 70K during the Cold War — with 5.9K being held by Russia, followed by America's 5.2K, and China's 410.⁵

Sources: ¹reuters.com, ²state.gov, ³Independent, ⁴Forbes and ⁵ICAN.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by The Sun. The inevitable dangers of AI are pushing us closer to another world war. Experts have repeatedly warned that AI could be the end of humanity, and the US' public acknowledgment of this potential nuclear-linked disaster is a bad sign. Umbrella AI regulation must be immediately sought if serious concerns are to be eased.
• Narrative B, as provided by War on the Rocks. Implementing AI into the command chain of nuclear decision-making could change the world for the better if done correctly. Humans are just as capable of making mistakes as AI, and the help of automation within certain tasks could potentially increase global security. Nations must proceed with caution as we continue to become accustomed to living alongside AI, but there is reason to be optimistic if skillfully implemented.
• Nerd narrative, as provided by metaculus.com. There is a 36% chance that if there is a global catastrophe claiming at least 10% of the human population it will be due to AI, according to the Metaculus prediction community.