Understanding military AI governance through the Advocacy Coalition Framework

This article analyses military AI governance using the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF), focusing on two key advocacy coalitions: the ‘tight regulation’ coalition which emerged in the context of the UN’s Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems, and ‘responsible use’ coalition which emerged in the context of the REAIM Summits and the US-led Political Declaration on Responsible Military AI Use. The ‘tight regulation’ coalition advocates for a legally binding treaty to restrict certain AI technologies, while the ‘responsible use’ coalition emphasises voluntary codes of responsible conduct. Through the ACF lens, the study examines policy learning, coalition coordination, and evolving dynamics within this emerging policy domain.