It is reported that Japan has established new protocols to guide the secure development of defense systems powered by AI, according to Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, in response to growing ethical concerns over weapons that can operate without direct human involvement. The guidelines set out procedures for classifying these systems, conducting legal and policy reviews, and ensuring technical reliability, with the aim of minimizing AI-related risks while enhancing its benefits and providing predictability for private sector innovation. The Defense Ministry will assess whether such systems ensure human accountability and operational safety, categorizing them as “high” or “low” risk, and will require that high-risk systems comply with international and domestic laws and remain under human oversight. This move comes amid increasing global anxiety over autonomous weaponry, especially as the use of AI-driven combat drones rises in conflicts such as those in Ukraine and the Middle East, and follows Japan’s recent policy initiatives emphasizing responsible, human-centric AI development in both defense and broader technological applications.
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