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Intent in the Era of Mechanical Forces

Friberg, Nils LU (2025) JAMM07 20251
Department of Law
Faculty of Law
Abstract
The advent of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS) introduces transformative, yet deeply problematic, complexities into modern warfare, particularly concerning the attribution of criminal responsibility under international criminal law. This thesis confronts the critical challenges these systems pose to the dolus specialis, the specific intent to destroy, requirement for the crime of genocide. It investigates whether human actors involved in the design, development, or deployment of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems can be held accountable for genocidal acts, despite their operational obscurities.
The research first delineates the operational characteristics of these systems and the established legal framework governing genocide and... (More)
The advent of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS) introduces transformative, yet deeply problematic, complexities into modern warfare, particularly concerning the attribution of criminal responsibility under international criminal law. This thesis confronts the critical challenges these systems pose to the dolus specialis, the specific intent to destroy, requirement for the crime of genocide. It investigates whether human actors involved in the design, development, or deployment of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems can be held accountable for genocidal acts, despite their operational obscurities.
The research first delineates the operational characteristics of these systems and the established legal framework governing genocide and its specific intent requirement under international criminal law. It then analyses how LAWS's technological attributes create significant evidentiary and conceptual hurdles.
The thesis argues that while these hurdles are significant, they are not insurmountable. It argues that accountability for genocidal acts facilitated through laws can be maintained through a contextually appropriate adoption of the knowledge-based approach to dolus specialis. This approach, when complemented by the enforcement of heightened due diligence obligations across the weapons lifecycle, offers a viable pathway to accountability. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Friberg, Nils LU
supervisor
organization
course
JAMM07 20251
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems, LAWS, Dolus Specialis, Artificial Intelligence, Autonomous Weapons Systems, Genocide
language
English
id
9195217
date added to LUP
2025-06-13 10:58:59
date last changed
2025-06-13 10:58:59
@misc{9195217,
  abstract     = {{The advent of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS) introduces transformative, yet deeply problematic, complexities into modern warfare, particularly concerning the attribution of criminal responsibility under international criminal law. This thesis confronts the critical challenges these systems pose to the dolus specialis, the specific intent to destroy, requirement for the crime of genocide. It investigates whether human actors involved in the design, development, or deployment of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems can be held accountable for genocidal acts, despite their operational obscurities.
The research first delineates the operational characteristics of these systems and the established legal framework governing genocide and its specific intent requirement under international criminal law. It then analyses how LAWS's technological attributes create significant evidentiary and conceptual hurdles. 
The thesis argues that while these hurdles are significant, they are not insurmountable. It argues that accountability for genocidal acts facilitated through laws can be maintained through a contextually appropriate adoption of the knowledge-based approach to dolus specialis. This approach, when complemented by the enforcement of heightened due diligence obligations across the weapons lifecycle, offers a viable pathway to accountability.}},
  author       = {{Friberg, Nils}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Intent in the Era of Mechanical Forces}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}