Complete a survey to register your interest
The House of Lords Committee on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Weapon Systems has launched an Area of Research Interest (ARI) alongside its Call for Evidence. The ARI includes several specific areas of interest, where academic and expert researchers’ perspectives would be welcomed. This ARI survey is particularly targeted at academic and expert researchers with technical knowledge about the current state of development of AI models underpinning autonomous weapon systems, as well as researchers in other fields.
Areas of interest include definitions of autonomous weapon systems (AWS), human involvement in the use of AWS, the technical capabilities and limitations of the AI models underpinning AWS, the impact might AWS have on warfare, and the role of international humanitarian law in governing the use of AWS.
Academics at all career stages, research institutions, and experts are encouraged to share their research and insights, highlight any evidence gaps and how these could be addressed, and suggest scrutiny questions for the Committee.
Those who respond to the ARI survey will be entered onto a database of experts who may be contacted by parliamentary staff in order to help them scrutinise this area of interest. There is no need to contact Committee staff directly, as they have access to all information you enter on the database. You can register your expertise and research insights on AI in Weapon Systems by clicking the button below.
The ARI survey will close on 31 July 2023.
Register now
Further information
AI in Weapon Systems Committee
The House of Lords Artificial Intelligence in Weapon Systems Committee was appointed on 31 January 2023 “to consider the use of artificial intelligence in weapon systems”. The House of Lords appoints several special inquiry committees during each session.
Find out more about this Committee.
What are Areas of Research Interest?
Areas of Research Interest (ARIs) are lists of policy issues or questions. They are a way for an organisation to express interest in seeing more research evidence in certain topics.
How can researchers share their insights on the ARIs?
If you have evidence or insights on the ARIs (including evidence reviews), you can add information about the research and your contact details to the repository of research relevant to the ARIs. Parliamentary staff can then search the repository for relevant research and contacts.
How does Parliament use ARIs?
An inquiry into the effectiveness and influence of the Select Committee system by the 2017–19 House of Commons Liaison Committee made several recommendations on how to improve the use of research evidence in select committees. One recommendation was for committees to develop and publish Areas of Research Interest (ARIs). The 2017-19 House of Lords Liaison Committee also recommended that committees horizon scan, deal with emerging themes, map stakeholders and continue innovative ways to collect evidence. The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST), is developing ARIs with committees to support parliamentary scrutiny.
ARIs do not comprise full lists of all areas in which Parliament may be interested in research evidence in the future. Parliamentary priorities are driven by Members of both Houses responding to current affairs. In particular, as committees issue calls for evidence based on their current priorities, ARIs complement rather than replace these calls for evidence. ARIs may be used by parliamentarians and by parliamentary staff in POST, the Libraries and committee teams to scope and/or inform future work.
Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST)
POST produces impartial, non-partisan, and peer-reviewed briefings, designed to make scientific research accessible to the UK Parliament. Beyond that, POST organises parliamentary horizon scanning activities and facilitates knowledge exchange between UK Parliament and research communities.
Image: Circuit by Yuri Samoilov under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license