Artificial Intelligence in Defense: A Bioethical Examination of Societal Risks and Governance

This paper explores the societal risks that may arise from the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into defense innovations and examines how the principle of responsibility can be achieved in this context.Using a qualitative descriptiveanalytical approach grounded in international reports and prior studies, the paper identifies four critical domains of societal risk: threats to human life, terrorist misuse, cyber and electronic warfare, and the lack of accountability for actions committed by autonomous or semi-autonomous systems.To address these challenges, a tri-level framework of responsibility is proposed -international, institutional, and socio-cultural-linking global ethical norms with local governance practices and moral values.The study argues that responsible innovation in AI-driven defense technologies requires ethical governance that ensures accountability, human oversight, and societal legitimacy, thereby balancing security imperatives with public trust.