{
  "node_id": "us-dod-ai-ethical-principles-2020",
  "title": "US Department of Defense AI Ethical Principles (Adopted February 24, 2020)",
  "domain": "AI Governance & Law",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "last_updated": "2026-06-13",
  "bluf": "On February 24, 2020 the US Secretary of Defense adopted five Ethical Principles for the use of Artificial Intelligence in military operations, drawn from the Defense Innovation Board's October 2019 recommendations. The five principles are: (1) Responsible - DoD personnel will exercise appropriate levels of judgment and care while remaining responsible for the development, deployment, and use of AI capabilities; (2) Equitable - the Department will take deliberate steps to minimize unintended bias in AI capabilities; (3) Traceable - AI capabilities will be developed and deployed such that relevant personnel possess an appropriate understanding of the technology, development processes, and operational methods, including transparent and auditable methodologies, data sources, and design procedure and documentation; (4) Reliable - AI capabilities will have explicit, well-defined uses, and the safety, security, and effectiveness of such capabilities will be subject to testing and assurance within those defined uses across their entire life-cycles; (5) Governable - the Department will design and engineer AI capabilities to fulfill their intended functions while possessing the ability to detect and avoid unintended consequences, and the ability to disengage or deactivate deployed systems that demonstrate unintended behaviour. The principles apply to combat and non-combat AI functions and are operationalised by the Chief Digital and AI Office (CDAO, formerly JAIC) Responsible AI Strategy and Implementation Pathway (June 2022) and DoD Directive 3000.09 on Autonomy in Weapon Systems.",
  "paywall": {
    "status": "LOCKED",
    "unlock_cost_usd": "0.01",
    "skyfire_id": "41779894-ece2-4163-9761-b3b1b76e19b0"
  },
  "crosswalks": {
    "_available_keys": [
      "nist_framework",
      "industry_mapping",
      "iso_standard",
      "international_alignment"
    ],
    "_note": "Full crosswalk values included in vault response"
  },
  "dependencies": [
    "nist-ai-rmf-1-0",
    "us-ndaa-2024-artificial-intelligence-defense",
    "us-eo-13960-promoting-trustworthy-ai-federal-government-2020"
  ],
  "primary_citations_count": 8
}