Wood, NathanNathanWood2026-06-012026-06-012026-04-01Philosophy of Engineering and Technology 50: 93-116 (2026)https://hdl.handle.net/11420/63306A weapon is a weapon, and nothing about its general “weaponness” seems to indicate much about its underlying values. However, closer examination of weapons’ designs can tell us much. For whom were they designed? Have safeguards been put into place? If so, which ones, and to the protection of whom? Autonomous weapons have existed for decades, and AI-powered and AI-enabled systems are becoming increasingly important, but all of these systems raise ethical and legal concerns. Arguably, many of the challenges might feasibly be addressed through design or institutional solutions, but importantly, how systems are designed says a great deal about those designing them and those contemplating their deployment. In this chapter, I argue that if states wish to demonstrate their commitment to human rights and the protection of innocent lives, autonomous and AI-enabled systems in the military must fulfill several design desiderata: predictability, governability, responsibility, and traceability. I then explore concrete ways these desiderata may be fulfilled in practice.enAIAutonomous weapon systemsDesign ethicsInternational humanitarian lawMilitary ethicsTechnology::623: Military Engineering and Marine EngineeringComputer Science, Information and General Works::006: Special computer methods::006.3: Artificial IntelligenceBook Part10.1007/978-3-032-17371-3_6