While AI has the potential to strengthen verification processes, it also poses new proliferation risks that could threaten global security. The Peace Report 2026 dedicates a chapter to this very topic: the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in verifying arms control agreements.

AI can significantly improve data analysis, monitoring, and compliance checks in arms control. Through machine learning and satellite imagery analysis, nuclear or chemical weapons programs, for example, can be monitored more efficiently. The authors of the Peace Report chapter emphasize that AI enables real-time analysis, allowing violations to be detected more quickly. Particularly in hard-to-access regions or complex weapons programs, AI could enhance the credibility of verification regimes.

At the same time, the report warns of the dangers of AI misuse. AI could accelerate the development of unmanned, autonomous weapons, making it harder to control armaments. Many AI technologies also have dual-use applications—civilian and military—making clear distinctions often impossible. Additionally, AI can be used to improve deception tactics, such as through deepfakes or falsified sensor data, undermining inspections. Finally, the authors caution that states may enter an AI arms race, jeopardizing international security.

To harness the opportunities of AI while minimizing risks, the chapter’s authors propose the following measures:

• International Regulation: Developing binding agreements that clearly regulate the military use of AI in verification and armaments.
• Transparency and Trust-Building: States should disclose AI-based verification methods and develop common standards to prevent manipulation.
• Civilian Oversight: Strengthening independent scientific bodies to assess AI applications in arms control and develop ethical guidelines.
• Promoting AI for Peace: Targeted investments in AI technologies that strengthen verification, such as through automated treaty monitoring or early warning systems for proliferation.

The Peace Report chapter makes it clear: AI is not an end in itself but a tool, and its use in verification will be a decisive factor for global security. Whether it acts as a catalyst for disarmament or an accelerator of new arms dynamics depends on how the international community regulates and utilizes it.

The Peace Report is a joint publication by Germany’s leading peace research institutes (BICC / IFSH / INEF / PRIF) and has been published annually since 1987. Researchers from various disciplines analyze international conflicts from a peace-strategic perspective and provide clear policy recommendations. The 2026 Peace Report, titled “The New Warlords: Containing Violence Dynamics”, was released on June 8, 2026.

For further reading: The influence of Artificial Intelligence on global security was also the focus of the CNTR Monitor 2025. The upcoming CNTR Monitor, set to be published in November 2026, will focus on verification.