Global Commission Report on Military Artificial Intelligence co-authored by Professor Nehal Bhuta presented to UN Security Council
Thu 25 September 2025
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof yesterday delivered the final report of the Global Commission on Responsible Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain (GC REAIM) to the UN Security Council. Professor Nehal Bhuta, Chair of Public International Law at the University of Edinburgh, was one of three international lawyers who co-authored the report.
GC REAIM was created by the Kingdom of the Netherlands in March 2024, and was chaired by Former South Korean Foreign Minister Byung-se Yun. GC REAIM was composed of 18 Commissioners (including Professor Bhuta), who are global thought leaders from a range of disciplines, including international law, computer science, ethics and strategic studies. The Commissioners were mandated to develop a strategic guidance report on how to advance the responsible use of AI in the military domain. The report was released on 24 September 2025, in The Hague and in New York.
Professor Bhuta said: "It was an honour and a privilege to serve on the Global Commission for Responsible AI in the Military Domain. Now more than ever, international cooperation is essential to ensure that the use of AI in military applications is lawful, ethical and responsible. Our final report provides a roadmap for states, corporations and international organizations to constrain the risks posed by military AI use, while maintaining human judgment and human responsibility at all times through the AI lifecycle."
The report presented by Prime Minister Schoof makes a high-profile intervention in current debates about the global governance of military AI, with recommendations to states, industry and international organizations aimed at minimizing risks and maximizing potential benefits from the use of AI in the military domain, in accordance with international legal obligations.
The report’s recommendation for the creation of a standing body of experts to serve as forum for dialogue, technical evaluation and the consolidation of best practices for further regulation, dovetails with the UN Secretary General’s recent recommendation for an inclusive multi-stakeholder process within the UN to shape the governance of military AI.
In April 2025, Edinburgh Law School and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office directly supported the work of GC REAIM by convening a two-day workshop of its 31-member Expert Group, in Edinburgh.
Learn more about Professor Bhuta's work