PhD Defence of Taís Fernanda Blauth

It’s time for our colleague Taís to defend her PhD thesis! We warmly invite you to celebrate this exciting milestone in her academic journey.

Taís' Research

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly used in the military, from helping analyse data to guiding weapons. But what happens when machines are allowed to make life-or-death decisions? Taís' PhD research explores this difficult question by looking at the risks that AI brings to international law, human rights, and human dignity, especially when it is used in warfare.

One major concern is the development of autonomous weapons systems, which can select and attack targets without direct human input. Many governments and tech companies claim that as long as humans have “meaningful control,” these weapons are acceptable. But what does that really mean, and is it enough?

Taís argues that relying only on this idea of “meaningful human control” is not sufficient. We also need stronger rules, clearer responsibilities for companies developing such technologies, and new ways to make sure human values are not lost when machines are used in war.

At the heart of Taís' research is the idea that we should never lose sight of human dignity, even in the age of AI. As military technology advances, we must ensure that it is used responsibly, ethically, and with full respect for human rights.

Details

Taís will defend her dissertation, "Confirm Humanity: Legal and Ethical Challenges of Military Artificial Intelligence and Governance Pathways", on Thursday, 19 June 2025. The defence will start with a Laypeople’s Talk at 13:30, followed by the official ceremony at 14:00.

The event will take place in the auditorium of the Beurs building, Campus Fryslân (Wirdumerdijk 34, Leeuwarden), but can also be followed online via the following link.

We hope to see many of you there to support and celebrate with Taís!