In April 2024, the Board of Directors of the International Institute of Space Law (IISL) formally established the Working Group on Legal Aspects of AI in Space, chaired by Tuana Yazici, with Anne-Sophie Martin, Steven Wood, Lisa Kucher, Roser Almenar, Laura Yvonne Zielinski, Stefan-Michael Wedenig, and Giovanni Tricco.
Over the course of the year, numerous analysts reviewed complex issues, systematically studying innovative space technologies. The Working Group developed a 267-page study examining the application of international law, soft law instruments, and regulatory frameworks—including GDPR, procurement, export controls, and telecommunications—to the use of artificial intelligence in space. The report also includes comparative case studies covering genetics regulation, lethal autonomous weapons, environmental considerations, space traffic management, and analogies from air and maritime law. The study culminates in a set of actionable international recommendations for the governance of AI in space.
Merely 6 months later, a complete draft of the report was finalized in October 2024. The Working Group presented its preliminary findings during the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Milan, Italy. The draft was also formally presented to the IISL Board of Directors during their meeting in Milan, where members provided constructive feedback and recommendations. Following revisions, the final report was published in December 2024.
The report, titled “Balancing Innovation and Responsibility: International Recommendations for AI Regulation in Space,” is available at: https://iisl.space/iisl-working-group-on-legal-aspects-of-ai-in-space/
Since publication, the report has received wide international recognition and was presented to global stakeholders at various events and conferences, including:
- February 2025 – Presentation to the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC)
- March 2025 – Presentation at the University of Valencia, Spain
- March 2025 – Presentation to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Bureau of Radiocommunication (BR) Director and team in Geneva, Switzerland
- April 2025 – Presentation at the 40th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, United States
- May 2025 – Technical presentation to the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS) Legal Subcommittee during its 64th session in Vienna, Austria
- June 2025 – Submission and publication of the Working Group’s Conference Room Paper (CRP.14) during the 68th session of UNCOPUOS distributed to Member States
The CRP is available at:
https://www.unoosa.org/res/oosadoc/data/documents/2025/aac_1052025crp/aac_1052025crp_14_0_html/AC105_2025_CRP14E.pdf
Working Group technical presentation submitted to the UN COPUOS LSC 2025:
The report has also been featured in international academic and policy forums, including a keynote presentation during the Symposium on the Rule of Law in Outer Space in Shanghai, held as part of China’s National Space Day.
Looking ahead, the Working Group will present its report findings at upcoming events:
- September 2025 in Singapore – Space Law Workshop during the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) Rule of Law Programme Asia’s launch event on National Space Laws in Europe and Asia
- October 2025 in Sydney, Australia – IISL Lunchtime Event at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC)
- October 2025 in Christchurch, New Zealand– New Zealand Aerospace Summit
