Kozminski Techblog

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With the rapid development of AI in all spheres of economy and other industries governments of different states endorse the utilization of AI in military industry. However, considering the risk of losing control over AI there are concerns about how dangerous it would be create “killing machines”.

How deep is AI currently integrated in the military?

AI can benefit the military in numerous ways including: 

• Warfare systems
• Strategic decision making
• Data processing and Research
• Combat Simulation
• Target Recognition
• Threat Monitoring
• Drone Swarms
• Cybersecurity
• Transportation
• Casualty Care and Evacuation

One of the most notable ways militaries are utilizing AI is the development of autonomous weapons and vehicle systems. AI-powered crewless aerial vehicles (UAVs), ground vehicles and submarines are employed for reconnaissance, surveillance and combat operations and will take on a growing role in the future. 

As AI technologies continue to evolve, their impact on military intelligence is likely to grow. Some experts predict that AI systems will become increasingly integrated into military operations, providing decision-makers with real-time insights and enabling them to respond more quickly and effectively to threats. 

Benefits of AI in the military

• Improved speed and accuracy: AI systems can process massive amounts of data quickly and accurately, allowing military intelligence agencies to gain insights faster and more precisely. 
• Gives systems the ability to react at gigahertz speed, which could also the overall pace and outcome of human combat.
• Enhanced situational awareness: AI-powered sensors and other technologies can help military intelligence agencies maintain a better understanding of the battlefield, providing them with a more complete picture of the enemy’s capabilities and intentions.
• Unmanned Aerial Vehicles or UAVs combined with AI can be used to patrol border areas, identify possible threats, and transmit valuable information.
• Deep Fake technology includes the use of photo, audio, and video forgeries known as “deep fakes” as a method to create false news reports, and public discourse, erode public trust, and blackmail diplomats [3]. AI can be used to detect manipulations.
• Better resource utilization: By automating routine tasks, AI systems can free up human intelligence analysts to focus on more complex and strategic problems.
• Militaries can use computer vision and AI algorithms that analyze footage from UAVs and can automatically identify hostile activity. This would reduce the amount of time it would take a human to go through drone footage and obtain information [3]. Personnel could instead focus their time on making more efficient decisions based on the actionable information provided by AI.
• Reduced risk to human life: By relying on machines to perform dangerous or difficult tasks, militaries can reduce the risk to their personnel and increase their operational effectiveness.
• Autonomous systems are able to operate at higher efficiency and safety level. Militaries can implement AI into their unmanned systems and extend their robotic capabilities for navigation [1]. They can conduct dangerous reconnaissance missions without having to put their personnel at risk. 

What are the risks of AI in the military?

• Malfunction: Autonomous weapons systems rely on AI algorithms to make decisions, and if there is a malfunction, the system may target the wrong individuals or groups. This could result in unintended casualties and human rights violations.
• Lack of Accountability: Since AWS is designed to operate without human intervention, assigning responsibility for any errors or violations during their operation becomes challenging. This lack of accountability could lead to impunity for individuals responsible for errors or violations.
• Hacking: AWS could be hacked, making them vulnerable to unauthorized use. This could result in the system being used against the country that created them or other unintended targets.
• Lack of Human Control: AWS does not require human intervention to operate, raising concerns about losing human control over military force. This lack of control could have significant implications for the conduct of warfare.

Personal opinion

In my opinion, the implementation of AI in the military should continue, However, the governments and military staff should minimize the risks of losing control over the machines by slowing down the progress and doing deeper analysis over the situation.