While the Political Declaration on Responsible Military Use of Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy holds promise, its supporters should place greater emphasis on how the implementation of its principles will lead to better protection of civilians in armed conflict, especially when combined with other measures not limited to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomy. This policy brief argues that the responsible use invoked by the declaration should not result in only marginally better protection of civilians (PoC) outcomes than “irresponsible” use, but should instead achieve markedly better ones. Giving meaning to the declaration’s implied PoC content depends on whether the expansion of its membership and stewardship of the process raises the ceiling or lowers the floor for responsible use. National and multilateral efforts to promote the responsible military use of AI should be connected to a renewed commitment among all states to mitigate harm to civilians resulting from all military operations, not only those that involve the use of AI.
