Why is artificial intelligence so important to use in warfare?

Artificial intelligence (A.I.) within the military brings many opportunities because they are able to perform jobs humans can’t. A.I. can be used to perform control or operate another piece of technology. A typical naval monitoring system uses over 100 sensors to detect a variety of things which makes it hard for humans to manage. The A.I. technology will able to manage well-over 100 and maybe even more ("AI Scientists Will Help Advance Naval Sensor Technology"). The system completes tasks in a way that can't compare to the work of human hands. Another way the military has implemented the self-learning technology is by using drones and fighter jets. Fighter jets will be able to use A.I. to control nearby drones that carry weapons along with in order to complete dangerous missions (Osborn). These drones will also carry high intelligence that allows them to carry out the missions safely. A lot of the drones will be able to think for themselves and study the situations they’re in. A.I. drones are programmed to be autonomous, which means they are able to operate on their own and make decisions for themselves (Roper). Based on the knowledge and intelligence they are programed with, the A.I. technologies are able to make decisions without a human directly controlling it. Even though it provides many opportunities for the military, it can possibly affect jobs usually taken by humans.

Could artificial intelligence possibly take the spot of human tasks/jobs?

A.I. technologies are programmed to perform certain tasks that humans generally can’t do themselves. Even though the machines will be capable of becoming more efficient, a human is still required to control it. Many of the A.I. drones require a substantial amount of maintenance and programming to prepare for missions. Air Force Chief Scientist Gregory Zacharias states that in the future, one human will be able to control 1 to 100 drones (Osborn). They are able to carry out missions like targeting enemies, sensor functions, weapons transport, and activities in electronic warfare. Another thing that makes their knowledge superior to a person is that they think at very high speeds. The artificial intelligence computers are also able to mimic the thought process of a human in a much faster way (Pope). Artificial intelligence will be able to achieve things beyond humans, but they still require someone to control them. Along with the disadvantage it has on jobs, artificial intelligence can create problems throughout the world.

How can this technology negatively impact warfare and the rest of world?

Many scientists and world leaders of artificial intelligence are informed that the technology poses a threat to the rest of the world because of the ability they have to be used as a weapon. Much like the nuclear bomb during the arms race, artificial intelligence is a technology many countries want to get their hands on. Signing an international treaty to prevent an arms race from happening gets rid of the chance for terrorists, and other countries, to unleash it during warfare (Sullivan). These technologies can be programmed to carry-out any command they are given, including destroying a country. A large amount of people are concerned that these technologies can be programmed to become destructive against humanity. A source of concern is the threat of outside groups gaining access to the network that the machines are connected to to receive commands (Sadler). Operators and programmers have to be very cautious when setting up their networks in which they control the machines because of the risk of an outside force getting their hands on the technology to cause harm. If used correctly, autonomous drones are very capable of doing things.

What are the capabilities of artificial intelligence in the military?

A.I. is capable of performing many different functions during warfare. The technology can be used within a drone to identify an enemy target. Since they gather as many pictures of the target as they possibly can, the drones have a 1 in 10,000 chance of being wrong when identifying their target (Roper). This gives the military many different opportunities when performing missions. Autonomous machines, or machines that can operate without human control, are able to use logic and reasoning in order to quickly adapt to the situation they’ve been put to use in (Sullivan). By developing many different algorithms, the machines can learn and adapt to a situation based on existing data. The artificial intelligence technology has given the military and the navy opportunities that will benefit them in the future. The military has mentioned releasing artificial intelligence drones within warfare very soon.

Will this technology be used in warfare anytime soon?

The artificial intelligence technology is becoming more widely research, and is being applied to many more aspects of the military. In recent years, artificial intelligence has become a growing interest in different countries. The artificial intelligence market experienced a growth of 25% in 1988, reaching to $600 million (Pope). Organizations like the military have been taking an interest in this technology because of the many uses it provides. Armed military drones have been used to carry out missions, and in some cases could’ve acted autonomously. Armed drones that were A.I. capable have acted in Yemen and Afghanistan to fight off the terrorist group al Qaeda (Sadler). These artificial intelligence technologies are currently being developed into a useful piece of machinery that can benefit the militaries warfare performance.