Automated Weapons Systems & Lethal Autonomous Weapons System and New International Legal and Humanitarian Issues

New tactics and tools of warfare, including Automated Weapons Systems (AWS), Lethal Autonomous Weapons System (LAWS), cyberattacks, armed drones, and robots, have been made possible by technological advancements and the use of artificial intelligence (AI). These innovations have created new legal and humanitarian issues. A State must consider whether it conforms with international humanitarian law before creating or purchasing any new weapon, tool, or tactic of conflict driven by AI. The current article addresses whether existing legal norms apply to new technology and may prompt readers to consider whether the provisions of Customary International Law, International Law, and International Humanitarian Law are sufficiently clear in light of the unique features of the technology and its potential humanitarian implications. It also examines the positions taken by different nations about these weapons and whether or not AWS and LAWS should be outright prohibited or made legal via regulations and transparency in their usage. It concludes that these new technological weapons must adhere to the ethical norms and existing international legal frameworks that should regulate their creation and deployment and that either significant human participation or a restriction on the use of AWS and LAWS is necessary.