| Abstract | A very topical question is whether AI constitutes an asset or rather a challenge for the application of the rules regulating the use of force between states, as current legal frameworks imply human judgments: introducing AI fundamentally shifts assumptions about agency, responsibility, and the epistemology of legal assessments. The present article explores this question from the perspective of the right of states to self-defense. More specifically, it examines whether AI can be a helpful tool to ensure the necessity and proportionality of the defensive response. By addressing this issue, the article will serve as a reference for national positions on the military use of AI, help states navigate AI integration responsibly, and contribute to shaping emerging norms in a still-fluid area. Section 2 of the article recalls how AI has come to play an important role in military and political decision-making and Section 3 reviews the applicable legal framework of self-defense under the UN Charter and customary international law. Sections 4 and 5 then respectively explore the opportunities and challenges that the resort to AI systems presents for establishing the necessity and proportionality of a self-defense response. |
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