The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) in military operations is revolutionizing modern warfare — a development that demands robust governance frameworks to mitigate the risks. On 9–10 September 2024, at the Responsible AI in the Military Domain (REAIM) meeting in Seoul, South Korea, a notable advance in military AI governance was achieved. The meeting, which was co-hosted by South Korea, the Netherlands, Singapore, Kenya and the United Kingdom, concluded with the endorsement of the ‘Blueprint for Action’¹ by 61 countries, including the United States, Germany, France and Japan. China, who sent a government representative to the summit, did not support the document. After the conclusion of the meeting, two more countries were added, bringing the current number of supporting countries to 63.

The blueprint offers a comprehensive framework addressing the full spectrum of AI applications in military contexts. However, translating these high-level principles into actionable scientific and technological measures presents considerable challenges that require urgent attention from the global scientific community.