Elisabetta Ferraro

Institution: LUMSA University

Period of stay: 28 September 2026 - 26 March 2027

Contact: e.ferraro1.dottorati@lumsa.it

Profile: 

Elisabetta Ferraro is a PhD student at LUMSA University, Palermo. Her research focuses on autonomous weapons systems, with particular attention to the legitimacy of their use and the issues of criminal responsibility that may arise in relation to international crimes committed through such weapons. At her home institution, she tutors students in international law and European Union law. She is also a qualified lawyer, admitted to the Italian Bar, and primarily practises criminal law. Her broader research interests include international criminal law, international humanitarian law, terrorism, self-determination, and the legal consequences of territorial situations arising from serious violations of international law, including the duty of non-recognition.

Research Area:

International humanitarian law; international criminal law.

Research Title:

Artificial intelligence and international humanitarian law.

Research Outline:

The research project, focusing on the use of Autonomous Weapon Systems (AWS) in armed conflicts, aims to assess, on the one hand, their compatibility with the principles of international humanitarian law and, on the other, the individual criminal responsibility arising from war crimes committed through their use.

Indeed, as artificial intelligence technologies rapidly evolve, so do their military applications, raising significant questions under international law that need to be addressed. The research therefore seeks to answer two fundamental questions.

First, whether and to what extent such weapons can be lawfully used during armed conflicts. Answering this question requires a close examination of the core principles of international humanitarian law, in particular the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution.

Second, how to address the issue of accountability for crimes committed through the use of AWS. Given the autonomous nature of these systems, which may operate with reduced or absent direct human control, identifying and prosecuting individuals responsible for war crimes may prove difficult, creating the risk of a responsibility gap.

In conclusion, this project seeks to contribute to the ongoing discussion on the role of international law in regulating armed conflicts in the age of artificial intelligence.

Publications:

Ferraro E., La legittimità della lotta condotta dai movimenti di resistenza e il limite del divieto di atti di terrorismo, in Rivista di diritto internazionale, 2025, 2, pp. 589-596.

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