Thank you, Mr. Chair,

The Philippines recognizes artificial intelligence as a transformative technology with profound implications for international peace and security. As a co-sponsor of the recent General Assembly resolution on “Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain and its Implications for International Peace and Security,” we approach this discussion with both optimism about AI’s potential benefits and serious concern about its risks.

We firmly affirm that existing international law, including the UN Charter, international humanitarian law, and human rights law, applies fully to AI applications in the military domain across their entire life cycle. This foundational principle must guide our collective approach.

The Philippines believes that the use of AI in military applications should be guided by clearly defined principles of behavior, existing international norms, and the values upon which these norms are based. However, we maintain that these guidelines should not impede the development and adoption of legally binding rules governing the use of AI in military contexts.

Building on our hosting of the Manila Meeting on Indo-Pacific perspectives on autonomous weapons systems in December 2023, the Philippines supports a human-centric, accountable, safe, secure, and trustworthy framework for military AI applications with appropriate safeguards, particularly ensuring meaningful human judgment and control over the use of force.

While acknowledging potential opportunities in enhancing compliance with international humanitarian law and civilian protection, we remain concerned about humanitarian, legal, security, technological, and ethical challenges, including algorithmic biases and the risk of proliferation to non-state actors.

The digital and AI divides between developed and developing nations require urgent attention. We call for enhanced international cooperation and capacity-building to harness the benefits of AI’s advancements and to ensure all states can participate meaningfully in discussions on military AI applications and their governance.

The Philippines supports multilateral dialogue in appropriate forums to develop shared understanding and norms on AI. We encourage multi-stakeholder approaches involving states, international organizations, civil society, academia, and the private sector to address these complex challenges.

Mr. Chair, the Philippines is committed to working with all stakeholders to harness AI’s benefits while minimizing its risks through responsible development, deployment, and use of AI in the military domain. Only through inclusive, collaborative efforts can we ensure AI contributes positively to international peace and security rather than undermining it.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.