La disciplina dei sistemi d’arma autonomi nel diritto internazionale umanitario. Stato dell’arte e prospettive di regolamentazione

This article pursues a twofold objective: on the one hand, it offers an overview of the legal framework currently applicable to autonomous weapons systems (AWS), with a focus on the rules of international humanitarian law (IHL); on the other hand, it outlines possible trajectories for the development of future international regulation on AWS. After clarifying the notion of AWS, the article examines the IHL norms applicable to their use, with particular emphasis on legal reviews under Article 36 of Additional Protocol I. It highlights how the decision-making autonomy of such systems requires not only an assessment of their intrinsic lawfulness but also of their capacity to comply with the principles of distinction and proportionality. The obligations stemming from the principle of precaution are also addressed, especially regarding the design of AWS and the human-machine interaction. The second part explores the main regulatory proposals currently on the table, zooming in on the ICRC’s two-tier approach and the most recent developments within the GGE and the UN General Assembly.