US and Russia Stripped Ethical Safeguards from UN AI Weapons Treaty

American and Russian diplomats worked in tandem to remove critical safety provisions and human oversight requirements from the draft of a proposed United Nations treaty on the regulation of artificial intelligence weapons, according to media reports citing sources familiar with the negotiations.

The removed provisions included language requiring human control over AI-driven weapons systems and ethical frameworks designed to limit autonomous lethal decisions made by machines without direct human authorization. The joint action by Washington and Moscow, two countries frequently at odds on the geopolitical stage, was described by observers as surprising and deeply concerning.

Critics from civil society organizations and some governments argued that stripping these safeguards undermines the fundamental purpose of the treaty — ensuring that the deployment of AI in warfare remains subject to international law and human accountability.

The negotiations over a global AI weapons treaty have been ongoing at the United Nations, with participating states divided over the extent to which autonomous weapons systems should be regulated. Proponents of stricter rules warn that AI-powered weapons capable of selecting and engaging targets without human oversight pose unprecedented humanitarian and legal risks.

Neither the US State Department nor the Russian Foreign Ministry immediately confirmed the reports. However, several delegates from other participating countries expressed concern about the direction of negotiations, with some threatening to withhold support for a final agreement if adequate protections are not reinstated.

Human rights advocates called on all states to reject the watered-down draft and demand that meaningful ethical and legal safeguards be restored before any treaty is finalized.