National Security and Advanced Technologies: AI, Robotics, and the Security of our Nuclear Arsenals

The Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law (CERL) at the University of Pennsylvania convened a timely symposium on April 11, 2025, at the Union League of Philadelphia, addressing urgent threats to the rule of law and national security in an increasingly volatile political and technological landscape. The public event brought together leading members of CERL’s Affiliated Faculty, Executive Board, and Advisory Council to examine how democratic governance is being reshaped by partisan attacks, foreign interference, and the rapid advancement of technology.

Set against a backdrop of growing hostility toward the judiciary, domestic military deployments, the integration of advanced AI into defense systems, and malign influence campaigns, the discussions focused on how core legal norms are being tested and, in some cases, undermined. As CERL Faculty Director Claire Finkelstein observed, the rule of law in the United States is facing unprecedented strain. This symposium provided a forum for leading experts in national security, military ethics, and democratic institutions to outline a nonpartisan path forward for safeguarding the rule of law during a time of profound uncertainty.

National Security and Advanced Technologies: AI, Robotics, and the Security of our Nuclear Arsenals

Moderated by Daniel Koditschek, professor of engineering at Penn, the panel convened a cross-disciplinary group of CERL affiliates to examine how emerging technologies are disrupting established concepts of accountability, proportionality, and command responsibility. The discussion focused on the growing ambiguity around tactical decision-making by autonomous systems and raised critical questions about whether current legal frameworks are equipped to govern the use of AI in high-stakes combat environments.

Speakers:

Moderator: Daniel Koditschek