9 in 10 Britons want government to lead on global AI weapons rules as Burnham urged to act
In November countries could start negotiations on a treaty for autonomous weapons. Ahead of this critical meeting, new polls have revealed that 93% of Britons think the UK should lead calls for a global treaty limiting military AI use.
The survey of 2,000 adults in the UK, commissioned by the Future of Life Institute, found:
- 93% of Britons believe it is at least somewhat important that their government leads on efforts to regulate AI weapons, and doing so is “very important” to two in five (39.7%)
- 94% of Britons support an international treaty to control the use of AI weapons.
- 90% are concerned about the rising use of AI weapons in war.
The results follow significant escalation of military AI usage in Ukraine, Gaza, and Iran. This includes the AI-targeted missile strike that destroyed a school in Iran, killing 123 schoolgirls. A UN report has linked military AI use to last year’s surge in children’s deaths in conflict.
The survey also found widespread concern with the power of Big Tech, and a desire for the government to play a clear role in mitigating the risks of new technologies. This follows rising concern about US military AI firms such as Palantir and Anduril, and their increasing level of control over UK infrastructure.
In September, 128 states at the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) agreed on a text that could form the basis of negotiations. The text stipulates meaningful human control of autonomous weapons systems, and limits on the range and length of time they are permitted to operate.
Civil society organisations are pressuring Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband to end Britain’s unclear stance and publicly commit to backing the launch of treaty negotiations. Polls from France and Germany, whose governments in principle support a treaty, show similar levels of support.
“Machines should never be able to make a decision to take a human life. It’s urgent that governments step up and lead now before humans lose control, and accountability is sidestepped.”
“The evidence is clear. Overwhelming majorities internationally oppose AI weapons proliferating, and in the UK, France, and Germany, overwhelming majorities want their governments to lead on ensuring a legally-binding instrument exists. There’s no time to lose.”
– Anna Hehir, Head of Military AI Governance at the Future of Life Institute
“Britain has played a leading role in civilian protection in the past; helping to take cluster munitions, landmines, and other weapons off the table that have no place in modern society.”
“With AI weapons linked to a record surge in children killed in conflict last year, and few guardrails against dangerous tech, the time to regulate is now. November’s UN CCW conference is a closing window of opportunity to keep control that for the sake of future generations, the Foreign Secretary cannot afford to ignore.”
– Jane Kinninmont, CEO of the United Nations Association UK
Notes to editors
- The survey was carried out by Dynata from 9-17 September 2026. Sample sizes consisted of n=2021 adults in the UK, n=2002 adults in Germany, and n=2014 adults in France. Data was gathered from nationally representative quotas in the three countries based on age, gender, and education level.
- A campaign to write to politicians in support of controls on AI weapons has launched here.
