Sebastiaan Van Severen

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About

Dr. Sebastiaan Van Severen is a leading voice in the emerging field of international humanitarian law as applied to autonomous weapons systems. His research critically examines the legal and ethical dimensions of "killer robots," focusing on how lethal autonomous weapons challenge foundational principles of international law, including distinction, proportionality, and accountability. His most cited work, "Killer Robots: Lethal Autonomous Weapons and International Law" (2021), has garnered 3 citations and is recognized for its rigorous analysis of whether such systems can comply with the laws of war. Van Severen’s scholarship bridges classic science fiction—such as Isaac Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics—with contemporary legal frameworks, offering a nuanced critique of the gaps in current treaty law. His contributions are particularly influential in policy circles, where he has been invited to brief international bodies on the urgent need for preemptive regulation. By grounding abstract ethical debates in concrete legal reasoning, Van Severen has become a key figure in shaping the discourse on autonomous warfare, making his work essential reading for students and researchers navigating the future of armed conflict.