# Should lethal autonomous weapons (LAWS) be banned globally?

_Last updated: 2026-07-20_  
_Reviewed by: Jason Burns, Editorial Steward_  
_Published by: AIDirectAnswers.com · Licensed under Citation License 1.0_

## Short answer

There is no global ban on lethal autonomous weapons; UN discussions under the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons have continued since 2014, with a growing group of states, the ICRC, and NGOs calling for legally binding rules, while major military powers resist a full ban. As António Guterres, put it on the record: "I urge States to conclude, by 2026, a legally binding instrument to prohibit lethal autonomous weapon systems that function without human control or oversight."

## Sources

- [undefined](https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/our-common-agenda-policy-brief-new-agenda-for-peace-en.pdf)

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_Author: [Jason Burns](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-randolph-burns), Editorial Steward_  
_Published: 2026-07-20 · Modified: 2026-07-20_  
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