Shaping Responsible Military AI: Insights from the GC REAIM South Africa Symposium

​The Global Commission on Responsible Use of AI in the Military domain (GC REAIM) has successfully concluded the South African leg of its world tour in Stellenbosch (11-14 Nov 2024) co-hosted by the Defence AI Research Unit (DAIRU) located at the Faculty of Military Science of Stellenbosch University.

GC REAIM is an initiative of the Government of the Netherlands that was launched during the 2023 REAIM Summit on Responsible Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain in The Hague. It appointed the Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS) as the Global Commission for this initiative. DAIRU is a centre situated in Saldanha Bay and was launched in early 2024 as the 4^th national AI hub by the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies.

The Hon Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans of the Republic of South Africa, Maj Gen (ret) B.H. Holomisa gave the ministerial address at the Symposium Day on 14 Nov 2024. Amongst the distinguished VIP guests were Her Excellency Ms. Helene Rekkers, Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Cape Town, and Professor M.S. Tshehla, Dean of the Faculty of Military Science of Stellenbosch University located at the South African Military Academy.

Invited guests from the South African National Defence Force, academia, government, industry, and civil society heard keynotes and panel discussions on three important topics of relevance:

Implications of Artificial Intelligence for Peace, Security and Stability

The keynote address was given by Mr Zane Cleophas, followed by a panel discussion moderated by Dr Tim Sweijs. This first session explained what AI is, what its use cases are in the South African National Defence Force, and the legal, moral and ethical implications of its use. Challenging us to consider the harm caused by armed conflict and who benefits from the investments made in AI.

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Ethical Considerations of AI in the Military Domain

The keynote address was given by Col (ret) Dr Piet Bester, followed by a panel discussion moderated by Ms. Noelle van der Waag-Cowling. This session unpacked the legal, moral and ethical considerations of the use of AI in the military, specifically the use of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems and ensuring that responsible design of AI is done cognizant of International Law as it relates to armed conflict.

Governance of AI in the Military Domain

The final keynote address was given by Dr Moses Khanyile, followed by a panel discussion moderated by Ms Sofia Romansky. This session emphasized compliance with international law and the geopolitical dimensions of the design and use of AI, particularly how well state actors and industry were doing in terms of compliance.

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