The latest session of the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems (LAWS) concluded in Geneva with the adoption by consensus of a report containing the first agreed characterization of LAWS and a number of additional elements intended to guide future discussions. The outcome marks an important moment in international efforts to address the legal, ethical, and operational challenges posed by increasingly autonomous military technologies, while discussions continue ahead of the Seventh Review Conference of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) in November.
During the week’s negotiations, Jessica Dorsey participated as an academic observer, contributing both written and oral interventions and engaging in consultations with state delegations on the drafting of the report. Working together with Professor Rain Liivoja of the Asia-Pacific Institute for Law and Security (APILS), Jessica delivered two formal interventions aimed at assisting delegations in addressing several of the more technical aspects of the draft text. Throughout the week, Dorsey and Liivoja were also consulted by delegations for their legal expertise as discussions progressed.
The joint APILS-Utrecht interventions focused on strengthening and clarifying key sections of the draft report and sought to support states in developing robust language on autonomy, human involvement, and legal responsibility. A recording of Jessica’s intervention is available through UN Web TV.
Beyond Geneva, Jessica continues to contribute to broader public and academic debates on autonomous weapons regulation. Together with Professor Elke Schwarz, she recently co-authored an article for The Conversation arguing that recent developments demonstrate the urgency of moving from discussion toward the negotiation of legally binding international rules governing autonomous weapons systems. The piece highlights the growing capabilities of autonomous technologies and calls on states to capitalize on the current momentum for regulatory action.
Looking ahead, Jessica will also contribute to a forthcoming symposium hosted by Opinio Juris examining the outcomes of the 2026 GGE meeting. Together with Anna Andersson, Netta Goussac, Rain Liivoja, and Sally Longworth, the group will publish a series of thematic analyses under the title CCW GGE LAWS: The End of the Beginning. Drawing on their first-hand observations and experiences of the negotiations, the contributors will explore the significance of the adopted report, the remaining challenges, and the possible future directions of international regulation in this area.
And, in a lighter reflection on an intense week of negotiations, the contributors have also assembled a commemorative Spotify playlist: The End of the Beginning: Songs of a Non-Legally Binding Nature.
