Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain: Implications for Human Rights
Hearing Notice
Please join the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission (TLHRC) for a hearing examining the human rights and humanitarian implications of artificial intelligence (AI) in the military domain.
The adoption of AI technologies is rapidly transforming modern warfare. AI encompasses a wide range of technical capabilities, from data analysis and pattern recognition to autonomous decision-support systems. Its increasing integration into military operations raises urgent questions about accountability, civilian protection, and respect for fundamental rights.
Existing international humanitarian law and international human rights law provide important protections, but experts debate whether current legal mechanisms are sufficient to address the novel challenges posed by AI deployment by militaries. AI-enabled decision support systems (DSS), autonomous targeting tools, and other emerging technologies are reshaping military behavior on and off the battlefield. But as AI systems become more accessible and widely deployed, concerns are growing about the risks of these technologies, including their potential misuse, unintended consequences for rights-holders, and the erosion of meaningful human control over life-and-death decisions.
Witnesses will discuss emerging trends in military AI, governance gaps, and opportunities for policymakers to ensure that technological innovation remains consistent with human rights and humanitarian obligations.
The hearing will be hybrid. Members of Congress will participate in person. Witnesses may participate in person or remotely via Cisco WebEx. The public and the media may attend in person or view the hearing by live webcast on the Commission website. For questions, please contact Grace Gerardi (for Co-Chair McGovern) or Mark Milosch (for Co-Chair Smith).
Hosted by:
| James P. McGovern Member of Congress Co-Chair, TLHRC | Chris Smith Member of Congress Co-Chair, TLHRC |
Opening Remarks
- James P. McGovern, Co-Chair, TLHRC
Written remarks
Witnesses
- Amanda Klasing, National Director of Government Relations, Amnesty International USA
Written testimony - Anna Mysyshyn, PhD, Co-Founder and Director, Institute for Innovative Governance
Written testimony - Steven Feldstein, Director and Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Written testimony - Deborah Brown, Deputy Director, Technology and Human Rights, Human Rights Watch
Written testimony - Joe Chapa, PhD, Research Fellow, Applied Ethics Center, University of Massachusetts Boston
Written testimony
Submitted for the Record
- Andrew E. Kramer, "A Drone Killed Three Ukrainians. It Was Guided Entirely by A.I.," The New York Times, August 24, 2026
- Antonia Juelich, Executive Summary: “God has helped us, and so will AI”: How the Terrorist Group Boko Haram Uses Frontier AI, Cambridge Programme on AI Science & Policy, July 2026
- Access Now, Amnesty International, et al., Joint Statement on AI in Warfare, June 15, 2026
- International Committee of the Red Cross, Submission to the United Nations Secretary-General on Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain, April 17, 2025
- Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Briefer on Human Rights and Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain, February 3, 2025
- United Nations General Assembly, Artificial intelligence in the military domain and its implications for international peace and security, A/RES/79/239, December 31, 2024.
- Yuval Abraham, "'Lavender’: The AI Machine Directing Israel’s Bombing Spree in Gaza," +972 Magazine, April 3, 2024