Morocco’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Thursday the closure with “remarkable success” of the first global conference on the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in improving the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).
Morocco’s FM Nasser Bourita opened the event, which gathered over 200 participants from 46 Member States, international organizations, and industry experts in Rabat from October 22-24.
During the three-day conference, discussions highlighted AI’s transformative potential for promoting peaceful chemistry uses, improving verification capabilities, and enhancing chemical safety and security.
The conference also addressed the risks of AI misuse, particularly by non-state actors and terrorist groups, which could undermine the CWC’s objectives.
The participants called for international cooperation to ensure that the development and application of AI are safe and transparent. They also urged increased scientific research, capacity building, and responsible governance to maximize the contributions of AI to global peace and security while minimizing associated risks.
The conference highlighted the urgent need to ensure global access to AI benefits, particularly in Africa, and its potential to enhance capacity-building programs, such as those by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), to support effective CWC implementation in African initiatives.