Martial Law in the Age of AI

The rapid advances in artificial intelligence are not only changing the economy and society-they are also profoundly affecting what has been considered the stable foundation of the laws of war for over a century. Autonomous weapons algorithmic decision-making processes and data-driven target recognition pose unprecedented challenges to the core protective principles of the Geneva Conventions.This book is the first comprehensive analysis of how AI is undermining the fundamental architecture of international humanitarian law and shows why traditional assumptions about human control responsibility and proportionality are no longer sufficient in the digital battlefield.Based on sound research in international law ethics and technology the volume combines theory and practical regulation: It not only examines the erosion of existing norms but also develops a detailed concept for the modernization of international humanitarian law. Of particular note is the extensive reform section: the book contains specific wording proposals for a new international legal instrument-a Fifth Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions-that clearly regulates the use of military AI and autonomous systems.An essential book for anyone who wants to understand how the international order can be defended - and reformed - in the age of artificial intelligence.Bremen University Press has published over 5500 specialist books in various languages since 2005.November 2025