The following is an excerpt from the SGI (Soka Gakkai International) Global Perspectives Committee statement issued on July 23, 2026, ahead of the Seventh Review Conference of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons that is scheduled for November 2026. The committee issues statements suggesting approaches for the resolution of pressing global challenges, building upon ideas advocated by Daisaku Ikeda in his peace proposals.
Since the founding of the United Nations, the international community has continued to pursue efforts toward conflict resolution and peace-building, even in the face of repeated crises, including the prolonged division of the world during the Cold War. The conclusion of various disarmament treaties has likewise advanced step by step, aided by the strong support of civil society.
Today, however, circumstances have arisen that threaten to erode the international community’s decades-long efforts at their very foundation. …
Further compounding these concerns is the fact that ongoing conflicts are serving as a catalyst for the rapid development and deployment of weapons incorporating emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI). …
If these dangerous and inhumane trends continue, the threshold for the use of force will be significantly lowered, potentially leading to the further spread of tragedies that threaten the lives and dignity of countless people.
Against this backdrop, the SGI calls in this statement for the urgent establishment of an international regulatory framework governing Autonomous Weapons Systems, including those employing AI, and, above all, for a comprehensive prohibition on systems designed to select and engage human targets.
Click here to read the entirety of SGI’s statement on the regulation of autonomous weapons.
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