A seminar organized by the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute (LKI) in collaboration with the ICRC on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Autonomous Weapons Systems (AWS) and their challenges was held on 19th December 2024. The keynote address of the seminar was delivered by Ms. Yasoja Gunasekara (Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs). I was honored to attend as a panelist along with Ms. Yanithra Kumaraguru (Visiting Lecturer, University of Colombo), Prof. Ajith De Alwis (Chief Innovation Officer of the National Innovation Agency), and Prof. Andrei Kozik (ICRC). The seminar was moderated by Amb. Ravinatha Aryasingha (Executive Director of LKI) with the active participation of approximately 150 members from the diplomatic corps, academics, military officers, media personnel, and scholars. I highlighted the operational advantages of AI and AWS, challenges and concerns related to AI and AWS, international law and regulation, ethical AI development and accountability, and a comparison of the use of AI and AWS by Israel and Ukraine.
