Zelensky warns against AI deciding outcomes on the battlefield

During his speech at the United Nations General Assembly, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for slowing down the rapid development of weapons that use artificial intelligence, warning they have already become a global threat. “We need to slow it down before we reach the next stage because as early as next year, there is already a real possibility that AI – not only people – will begin deciding what happens on the battlefield,” he said, calling for peace “before we reach that point”. Zelensky also emphasised the necessity for diplomacy and strength in Ukraine's fight against Russia, saying that “step by step, we are closing the gaps in both”. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky addresses the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, on 23 September 2026 (Alexi J Rosenfeld/AFP)