Tyler Barrett Delivering Statement at the 2025 Informal Consultations on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems

At the 2025 Informal Consultations on Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems (LAWS), Tyler Raymond Barrett of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation (NAPF) and its youth initiative, Reverse The Trend (RTT), delivered a powerful intervention addressing the critical security threats posed by autonomous weapons.

Tyler raised the alarm about the increasing potential for these systems to be used as delivery mechanisms for weapons of mass destruction. He emphasized that because autonomous systems require significantly less infrastructure and resources than traditional weapons, they dangerously lower the threshold for proliferation. This, he warned, opens the door for acquisition by non-state actors and unstable regimes.

A major point of Tyler’s address focused on the accountability vacuum created when Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems operate with limited or no human oversight. “The determination of who holds responsibility for actions resulting in mass casualties becomes deeply problematic,” he noted, highlighting the risk of eroding international legal norms surrounding the use of force.

Tyler also brought attention to the cyber vulnerabilities inherent in such systems, where interference or reprogramming could redirect lethal payloads toward unintended targets — posing a risk not only to individual states, but to global stability at large.

Concluding his statement, Tyler called on the international community to adopt a legally binding treaty banning fully autonomous weapons, reinforcing the urgency of preemptive regulation in the face of rapidly advancing technologies.

As a youth voice advocating at the intersection of peace, disarmament, and AI governance, Tyler’s intervention reflected the growing momentum for multigenerational engagement in shaping the future of international security.

***Full Statement****

Thank you, Chair, as well as the briefers for their insightful presentations.  

Distinguished Delegates,

I am a youth representative of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation and its initiative Reverse The Trend. NAPF is a proud member of The Campaign To Stop Killer Robots. I am grateful for this opportunity to discuss the security concerns regarding Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems as potential delivery systems for Weapons of Mass Destruction.

Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems pose a significant threat to global security due to their potential ability to lower barriers to proliferation. In comparison to traditional weapons systems, autonomous systems require much fewer resources and infrastructure, which significantly increases the risk of such devastating weapons falling into the control of non-state actors or unstable states.

Additionally, when LAWS operate with either minimal or no human oversight, the determination of who holds responsibility for actions resulting in mass casualties becomes deeply problematic. This potential breakdown is a threat to the integrity of international law and undermines longstanding norms of accountability in the use of force.

The deployment of LAWS presents risks related to system vulnerability and misuse. With artificial systems being software and network dependent, they are left susceptible to forms of cyber interference. If a system is compromised, weapons systems could be reprogrammed or redirected to deliver a payload against unintended targets. These vulnerabilities highlight the instability that these systems bring to global system environments.

Therefore, it is crucial that the international community establishes a legally binding treaty to  ban fully autonomous weapons systems; thus mitigating these grave risks and preserving global peace and security.

I thank you.

📸 Pictured above: Tyler Barrett delivering his statement at the UN as a representative of NAPF and RTT, raising civil society’s concerns about the unchecked development of autonomous weapons.