Over the past weeks, Jessica Dorsey has contributed to a series of international workshops and expert discussions examining the legal, ethical, and governance challenges posed by military AI and defense technologies.
Defense Technology, Investment Risk, and Human Rights
From 17–20 May in London (UK), Jessica participated in a workshop organized with the Heartland Initiative and ERM, bringing together investors, legal experts, academics, and practitioners.
The discussions focused on the growing intersection of defense technology, military AI, and investment risk, with particular attention to AI-enabled decision-support systems and autonomous technologies. Jessica contributed to conversations on identifying “red flags” across the defense tech lifecycle and explored practical due diligence approaches for investors navigating fiduciary obligations alongside human rights and conflict-related risks.
Capacity Building on Military AI Governance
On 21 May, Jessica delivered a module as part of the two-day course on military AI governance at the T.M.C. Asser Institute organized in collaboration with the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
Her session focused on the joint targeting cycle and the implications of AI for military decision-making, examining how data-driven practices, automation bias, compressed timelines, and human–machine interaction are reshaping operational judgment, accountability, and governance. The course brought together legal, policy, and technical experts to strengthen interdisciplinary understanding of AI-enabled military technologies and their regulation under international law.
Workshops on AI and International Law in Tallinn
From 25–26 May in Tallinn (Estonia), Jessica co-led the 6th Tallinn Workshop on International Law and Cyber Operations: “AI in the Military Domain,” alongside Prof. Rain Liivoja (University of Queensland), at the invitation of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with the Estonian Ministry of Defence and in coordination with the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE).
Also in Tallinn, at CyCon, the International Conference on Cyber Conflict, (26–29 May), Jessica participated as a speaker in a workshop on military AI governance.
Across both events, discussions brought together experts from governments, academia, and international organizations to examine pressing questions related to AI-enabled military systems, including the evolving international legal framework for autonomy in warfare, the role of weapons reviews and accountability mechanisms, transparency, explainability, and cyber vulnerabilities, and the preservation of meaningful human judgment in AI-mediated targeting.
Particular attention was given to emerging governance processes, including REAIM (Responsible AI in the Military Domain) and ongoing UN discussions, which aim to shape international norms and standards for the responsible use of AI in military contexts.
Across these engagements, a central theme emerged: AI-enabled systems are fundamentally reshaping military judgment, accountability, and legal review processes, requiring sustained interdisciplinary collaboration to ensure responsible and legally grounded governance.
