23 October 2024
The evolution of new, emerging, and disruptive technologies has brought about many tactical and practical applications and benefits. However, the proliferation of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in recent years has dramatically increased the risk of potential misuse of such technologies by terrorist groups. Thus, it is critical to identify and collaborate on new opportunities for knowledge and capacity-building to support states in their preparation against the accessibility and threat of UAS and AI.
In an effort to explore these emerging technologies and how they impact terrorism threats, the Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems and New, Emerging, and Disruptive Technologies Initiative – led by the United Kingdom and the United States – with the support of implementing partner, the Asser Institute, held a dialogue preventing terrorist exploitation of new, emerging, and disruptive technologies.
Experts from governments, international organizations, academia, civil society, and the private sector gathered at the historic Lancaster House situated in the City of Westminster, London, to identify gaps in the regulatory frameworks and share best practices to counter the misuse of UAS and AI by terrorist groups. Participants engaged in a dialogue regarding the current threat landscape, disruption of legacy and emerging threats, the use of new, emerging, and disruptive technologies to counter terrorism, and the building of strategic partnerships and technological capacities.
The activity supported the operationalization of the GCTF Berlin Memorandum on Good Practices for Countering Terrorist Use of Unmanned Aerial Systems, enabling a greater understanding of UAS and related emerging technologies in a counterterrorism context among governments, private industry, academia, and others. Part of the operationalization entails the development of a GCTF Policy Toolkit to be presented in 2025.
The event also built upon the findings from previous workshops on the use of UAS and new, emerging, and disruptive technologies in counterterrorism. Under the leadership of the United Kingdom and the United States, the Initiative aims to further explore policies and regulations to detect, mitigate, and prevent terrorist exploitation of UAS and AI.