Pakistan warns of surging global military spending, arms race fueled by AI
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday warned that a sharp rise in global military spending, driven by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), is accelerating a new arms race internationally with potentially grave consequences for global security.
The remarks were delivered by Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, during the General Debate of the UN Disarmament Commission's 2025 session.
Established in 1978 following the First Special Session of the UN General Assembly devoted to disarmament, the commission was tasked with formulating proposals on nuclear disarmament and preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. However, it has made little tangible progress over the decades and has often been criticized for its inability to produce concrete results.
'We are witnessing unprecedented increase in military spending in recent memory, fueling ever-increasing arms race now turbocharged by technological advancements,' Ahmad said, according to an official statement. 'The relentless pursuit of power and geopolitical competition has intensified in recent years, taking us further away from this important international priority.'
The Pakistani envoy emphasized the urgent need for effective international measures to halt the development and use of advanced weapons technologies that could further destabilize global security.
He warned that such advancements were extending the arms race into new frontiers, including outer space, cyberspace and the world's oceans.
'Artificial intelligence is fast becoming a pervasive feature of our daily lives with profound impact on international peace and security,' Ahmad continued, adding that the military application of AI posed a range of challenges – security, operational, ethical and legal – particularly regarding compliance with international humanitarian law.
The Pakistani diplomat cautioned the unchecked spread of AI-powered autonomous weapons could spark fresh arms races and destabilize both regional and global security environments.
'It is imperative to ensure that AI does not become another area of ongoing arms race with huge implications for global peace and security,' he said, calling for a 'multifaceted, holistic and multilateral response.'
Ahmad said the UN should play a central role in shaping a coordinated global approach to the challenges posed by military AI technologies, and expressed Pakistan's readiness to cooperate with it over the issue.
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