NTI Supports Tech-Driven Solutions to Modernize BWC Compliance

At the UN General Assembly on September 23rd, President Trump announced his administration’s intention to harness artificial intelligence (AI) to help uphold the international ban on biological weapons. Elevating the threat posed by bioweapons to a head-of-state priority is a welcome and timely move—especially as rapid technological advances increase the potential scale of harm that these weapons could inflict.

Using advanced technology to strengthen the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) is a promising step and an approach NTI has long supported, as evidenced by our work applying machine learning to prevent nuclear proliferation. In our recent report, Enhancing Transparency for Bioscience Research and Development, we recommend leveraging AI to identify meaningful signals of high-risk or illicit activities related to bioweapons development. NTI | bio is pursuing a pilot initiative to test methods, and we look forward to collaborating with the international community to refine and implement them.

Verifying compliance with the BWC is challenging because bioscience and biotechnology are widely embedded within the economy, and their dual-use nature makes it difficult to differentiate between malicious and peaceful uses. Still, there are opportunities to enhance transparency and build trust in compliance—critical steps to prevent a deadly and costly arms race with potentially catastrophic global consequences.

Technology can be a powerful tool to support the Convention, but it must be part of a broader strategy to be effective. NTI recommends the international community:

• Strengthen BWC confidence-building measures to further reduce unwarranted suspicion, confusion, and mistrust, while improving global cooperation on peaceful biological research
• Establish an internationally recognized assessment process modeled after the Joint External Evaluations, that fosters global awareness of national compliance with the BWC
• Bolster the BWC Implementation Support Unit by mandating, resourcing, and empowering the Secretariat to lead efforts to reinforce global norms and foster compliance with the Convention
• Create a formal review mechanism to regularly assess emerging science and technology advancements and inform States Parties on their implications for the Convention.

NTI remains committed to developing and advocating for practical, effective solutions that protect global security and welcomes the opportunity to meaningfully advance these efforts.