A new home for AI governance

UNIDIR today announced the launch of its Centre of Excellence on AI, Peace and Security, a new platform dedicated to strengthening global governance of artificial intelligence in the context of international peace and security.

As AI transforms security dynamics, from military operations and critical infrastructure to the information environment, governments and institutions are grappling with how to govern its risks and opportunities. The new centre responds to this challenge by bringing together analysis, dialogue and practical support under one roof, serving as the umbrella for UNIDIR’s work on AI and security.

To learn more, we spoke with Dr Robin Geiss, UNIDIR’s Director, and Dr Giacomo Persi Paoli, UNIDIR’s Head of Security and Technology Programme.

Q: AI is advancing at extraordinary speed. From a peace and security perspective, what developments concern you most, and what new risks are they creating for international security?

RG: The pace of advances in artificial intelligence is remarkable. While it brings significant benefits, it is also creating new challenges for international peace and security.

The concern is less about any single application, but rather the cumulative impact across multiple domains.

AI is now being integrated into military systems, cyber operations, critical infrastructure, and the information environment. This can enhance efficiency and decision-making, but it can also increase complexity, create new risks and pathways for escalation, increase the pace of battle, and add new layers of uncertainty in a highly dynamic global security environment. AI can lower the barriers to sophisticated cyberattacks, enable more convincing disinformation, and heighten the risk of miscalculation or unintended escalation in crisis situations.

At the same time, governance and regulatory frameworks are struggling to keep pace. This creates a growing gap between technological capabilities and our collective ability to understand and manage their implications.