International Committee for Robot Arms Control

What International Committee for Robot Arms Control does

The International Committee for Robot Arms Control (ICRAC) is an international non-profit civil society organization founded in September 2009 at Sheffield by Juergen Altmann, Peter Asaro, Noel Sharkey, and Rob Sparrow. It is an international committee of academic experts in robotics technology, artificial intelligence, computer science, international security and arms control, ethics, and international law, with over 80% of members holding doctoral or Juris Doctor degrees. ICRAC's mission is to advocate for a preemptive ban on lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS, or "killer robots") and to ensure meaningful human control over weapons systems, compliance with international humanitarian law, and prevention of arms races in autonomous weapons.

ICRAC operates primarily through policy advocacy and research rather than commercial products or technology development. Its core deliverables are working papers (WP1–WP4), policy statements, podcast series, video content, and submissions to international forums, particularly the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) and the UN General Assembly First Committee. The organization is a co-founding member of the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots coalition (launched April 2013) and coordinated the Scientists' Call signed by more than 270 experts from 37 countries. Its leaders and members — Noel Sharkey (Chair, University of Sheffield), Peter Asaro (Vice-chair, The New School), Juergen Altmann (Deputy Chair, TU Dortmund), and Matthew Bolton (Pace University) — regularly deliver expert testimony and statements at UN proceedings.

ICRAC does not sell products or services and has no commercial revenue model. It is funded through membership contributions, grants, and institutional support. Its geographic footprint is global in scope, anchored by member experts in the UK, US, Germany, and other countries, with operational engagement at the UN in Geneva and New York. Distribution of its work products occurs through UN channels, its website (icrac.net), media partnerships (BBC, Economist, Guardian, New York Times), and direct engagement with government delegations at international forums.

Name

International Committee for Robot Arms Control

Legal name

International Committee for Robot Arms Control

Website

https://icrac.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Short description

ICRAC is a 2009-founded international non-profit committee of academic experts in robotics, AI, and international law that advocates for a preemptive ban on lethal autonomous weapons systems through policy statements, working papers, and testimony at UN forums including the CCW and UNGA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arms Control Policy Advocacy

NAICS

International Affairs (92812), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

akta.pro primary industry

Model Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) Platforms (HDAAAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Human Oversight, Review & Content Moderation Tooling (HDAAAMAH), Regulatory Readiness & Audit Automation (e.g., EU AI Act, NIST AI RMF, ISO/IEC 42001) (HDAAAMAE)

Keywords

• Arms control advocacy
• Autonomous weapons policy
• Disarmament research
• Civil society organization
• Policy advocacy

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ICRAC is an international non-profit committee of academic experts that advocates for the preemptive prohibition of lethal autonomous weapons systems (killer robots). It provides expert testimony, policy analysis, and research publications to governments and United Nations bodies (notably the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons), and coordinates global civil society advocacy through the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots coalition.

Product overview

ICRAC is a civil society organization and advocacy group, not a product or technology company. It does not offer commercial products or services. Its activities include issuing policy statements, publishing working papers, coordinating with the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, delivering statements at UN forums, and producing podcasts on autonomous weapons and arms control.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully got LAWS added as an official agenda item at the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons in 2013
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Campaign to Stop Killer RobotscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2013ICRAC is a co-founding member of the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, a global coalition of NGOs working to preemptively ban autonomous weapons systems. The campaign operates at the UN level and coordinates advocacy efforts among civil society organizations worldwide.
• Stop Killer Robots Campaign (via stopkillerrobots.org)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICRAC works closely with the Stop Killer Robots campaign website and coordinates on policy positions, UN statements, and public advocacy for banning lethal autonomous weapons.
• Article 36minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerICRAC member Matthew Bolton delivered a statement on behalf of Article 36 and other international NGOs at the UN General Assembly First Committee.
• Human Rights WatchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHuman Rights Watch is a key partner in the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots. Mary Wareham delivers campaign statements at the UN on behalf of the coalition.
• Foundation for Responsible RoboticsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerICRAC's Noel Sharkey co-founded the Foundation for Responsible Robotics, which shares the goal of ensuring responsible development of robotic technology.
• Amnesty InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRasha Abdul Rahim from Amnesty International was interviewed on the ICRAC podcast discussing human rights implications of autonomous weapons.
• Control Arms FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerICRAC member Dr. Matthew Bolton delivered NGO statements at the UN in collaboration with the Control Arms Foundation.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI): Independent research institute providing authoritative data and policy analysis on arms control, military technology, and conflict. Comparable to ICRAC through its arms-control research function and engagement with UN policy forums.
• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): Humanitarian organization that has formally called for binding restrictions on autonomous weapons. Comparable to ICRAC through international humanitarian law framing of LAWS policy and direct engagement with states parties at the CCW.

Emerging players

• Future of Life Institute: Non-profit focused on reducing existential risk from advanced technologies including AI and autonomous weapons. Comparable to ICRAC through its AI governance advocacy and policy engagement with international bodies, though with broader AI safety scope.
• Foundation for Responsible Robotics: Co-founded by ICRAC Chair Noel Sharkey, focused on responsible development of robotics. Comparable to ICRAC through overlapping leadership and shared interest in ethical and policy frameworks for autonomous and robotic systems.

Direct peers

• Amnesty International: Global human rights organization that has been an ICRAC partner and is active in autonomous weapons advocacy through the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots. Shares ICRAC's international forum engagement and human rights framing of weapons policy.
• Human Rights Watch (Arms Division): Leads weapons-related human rights advocacy at the UN and is a core partner of the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots. Shares ICRAC's mission to constrain autonomous weapons through international humanitarian and human rights law.
• Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs: Nobel-Prize-winning academic organization focused on science-based arms control advocacy. Closely comparable to ICRAC in operating as a committee of expert academics influencing international weapons policy at the UN level.
• Article 36: UK-based NGO focused on preventing harm from weapons, including autonomous weapons. ICRAC member Matthew Bolton has delivered joint UN statements with Article 36, indicating direct cooperation on shared policy positions.
• Campaign to Stop Killer Robots: Global NGO coalition co-founded by ICRAC in 2013 that campaigns to ban fully autonomous weapons. ICRAC is a core member and shares the same advocacy mission, target audience (UN member states), and policy positions on LAWS.
• Reaching Critical Will: Disarmament-focused NGO that monitors UN disarmament forums and supports civil society engagement. Comparable to ICRAC through its UN-focused disarmament advocacy and engagement with states parties on weapons policy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/icrac
• Facebookfacebook.com/ICRACNET
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-committee-for-robot-arms-control
• Xx.com/stoptherobotwar

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Committee for Robot Arms Control