TLDR:

Key Points:

• UN Secretary General, António Guterres, warns about the increased threat of nuclear war due to AI technology.
• Guterres calls for nuclear states to agree on a pledge not to be the first to use nuclear weapons.

Article Summary:

The UN Secretary General, António Guterres, has expressed grave concern over the growing threat of nuclear war, exacerbated by advances in artificial intelligence (AI) technology. In a recorded message played at the annual meeting of the US Arms Control Association, Guterres urged nuclear weapons states to take their non-proliferation obligations seriously and to commit to not being the first to use nuclear weapons. He highlighted the weakening of the existing regime aimed at preventing nuclear weapon use, with less than 600 days remaining before the expiration of the New Start accord between the US and Russia.

Guterres pointed out that the US and Russia still maintain many intercontinental ballistic missiles on high alert, raising fears that AI could streamline launch procedures, increasing the risk of accidental or intentional nuclear weapon use. While the overall number of nuclear weapons has decreased since the Cold War, the total military stockpile of usable warheads is on the rise again.

The UN Secretary General called for nuclear powers to lead the way in disarmament efforts, emphasizing the need for dialogue and cooperation between states. He encouraged the US and Russia to fully implement the New Start treaty and work towards its successor. Guterres also reiterated his appeals for a moratorium on nuclear testing and a commitment from all nuclear states to refrain from launching nuclear warheads first.

China has proposed a “no first use” treaty, to which the US has shown openness to discuss. However, substantive responses and progress on arms control talks have been limited, with the need for further engagement and collaboration among nuclear states to address the pressing threat of nuclear war.