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The fast and the deadly: When Artificial Intelligence meets Weapons of Mass Destruction
Author: Oliver Meier

Artificial intelligence will have a significant impact on the development, manufacturing and control of weapons of mass destruction. It is therefore prudent to slow down the integration of AI into the field of biological, chemical and nuclear weapons, before the associated risks are not fully understood.

Friday, 28 June 2024

08:00 – 09:20

Registration (Europasaal, Federal Foreign Office)

09:20 – 09:45

Opening address

AI: A new dimension of threats from weapons of mass destruction?
Günter Sautter, Director-General for International Order, the United Nations and Arms Control of the Federal Foreign Office, Berlin

Keynote address

H.E. Fernando Arias, Director-General, Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, The Hague

09:45 – 11:00

1st Panel discussion

“Killer AI” and chemical weapons development: How real is the risk? Panel followed by Q & A, moderated by Filippa Lentzos, Reader in Science & International Security, King’s College London

Speakers

  1. The challenge: Marc-Michael Blum, former OPCW Head of Laboratory, Hamburg
  2. Technical assessment: Gisbert Schneider, Professor, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich
  3. How the OPCW could adapt: Stefan Mogl, Deputy Head, Spiez Laboratory

11:00 – 11:30

Coffee Break

11:30 – 13:00

2nd Panel discussion

AI and synthetic biology: A new generation of biological weapons in the making? Panel followed by Q & A, moderated by Filippa Lentzos, Reader in Science & International Security, King’s College London

Speakers

  1. The Challenge: Roman Wölfel, Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich
  2. New approaches towards biological risk reduction: Nicole Wheeler, Research Fellow, University of Birmingham
  3. Consequences for BW arms control: James Revill, Space Security and WMD Head of Program, UNIDIR, Geneva

13:00 – 14:00

Lunch Break

14:00 – 15:30

3rd Panel discussion

Nuclear weapons and AI: dangers for nuclear decision-making? Panel followed by Q & A, moderated by Anja Dahlmann, Director of Berlin Office, Institut für Friedensforschung und Sicherheitspolitik der Universität Hamburg (IFSH), Berlin

Speakers

  1. Alex Bell, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Arms Control, Deterrence, and Stability, U.S. Department of State, Washington D.C.
  2. Sylvia Mishra, Deputy Director of Nuclear Policy, Institute for Security and Technology, Washington D.C.
  3. Alice Saltini, Policy Fellow, European Leadership Network, London
  4. Wilfred Wan, WMD Program Director, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Stockholm

15:30 – 16:00

Coffee Break

16:00 – 17:00

Results, conclusions and perspectives

Results from panels and outlook on future risks, challenges and opportunities Moderator: Susanne Riegraf, Deputy Federal Commissioner for Disarmament, Arms Control and Nonproliferation of the Federal Foreign Office, Berlin

Speakers

  1. Towards a Program of Action to address AI risks in WMD arms control: Günter Sautter, Director-General for International Order, the United Nations and Arms Control of the Federal Foreign Office, Berlin
  2. The CBW challenge: Filippa Lentzos, Reader in Science & International Security, King’s College London
  3. The Nuclear challenge: Anja Dahlmann, Director of Berlin Office, Institut für Friedensforschung und Sicherheitspolitik der Universität Hamburg (IFSH), Berlin
  4. The EU perspectives and instruments to address AI-related risks of WMD: Stephan Klement, EU Special Envoy for Non-proliferation and Disarmament and Special Adviser on Iran Nuclear Issue, Brussels
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