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The Future of Artificial Intelligence Autonomous Killing Machines: What You Need to Know About Military AI

ESCHER, short for Electric Series Compliant Humanoid for Emergency Response, makes its way down the track during day two of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Robotics Challenge (DRC) in Pomona, CA. Designed, fabricated and assembled by engineering students at Virginia Tech, ESCHER leverages software and design learnings from another project underway at the lab, the Office of Naval Research-sponsored Shipboard Autonomous Firefighting Robot, or SAFFIR. (Photo by John F. Williams/U.S. Navy)

Artificial intelligence, or AI, has created a lot of buzz, and rightfully so. Anyone remember Skynet? If so drop a comment. Ok, back to our regular programming. Military AI is no different. From self-driving vehicles to drone swarms, military AI will be used to increase the speed of operations and combat effectiveness. Let’s look at the future of military AI — including some ethical implications.

 

Military AI Has Been Evolving

Military AI is a topic that’s been around for a while. Those who know anything about military AI know that it has been around for years, just not talked about for reasons you can imagine. And it has been evolving.

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Artificial intelligence, or AI, has created a lot of buzz, and rightfully so. Anyone remember Skynet? If so drop a comment. Ok, back to our regular programming. Military AI is no different. From self-driving vehicles to drone swarms, military AI will be used to increase the speed of operations and combat effectiveness. Let’s look at the future of military AI — including some ethical implications.

 

Military AI Has Been Evolving

Military AI is a topic that’s been around for a while. Those who know anything about military AI know that it has been around for years, just not talked about for reasons you can imagine. And it has been evolving.

These days Military AI has been helping with complex tasks such as target analysis and surveillance in combat.

Another great use for military AI in the future is to have it work with combat warfighters. AI could possibly be used for a tactical advantage because it would be able to predict an enemy’s next move before it happens. However, a good question to ask ourselves is, can China’s AI outperform ours? Based on recent hacks by China on U.S. infrastructure this seems like a concern we should take very seriously.

 

What Is MilSpec AI?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is any machine or computer-generated intelligence that is intended to emulate the natural intelligence of humans. AI is generated by machines, but its avenues of application are limitless, and it’s no surprise that the military has taken an interest in this technology.

AI can be used to identify targets on the battlefield. Instead of relying on human intelligence, drones will be able to scan the battlefield and identify targets on their own.

This will help to reduce the number of warfighters on the battlefield, which will in turn save thousands of lives.

 

The Good and Bad of MilSpec AI

The future of Military AI is bright… until it isn’t. Let’s be real, we’ve all seen the Terminator movies.

Military AI has the potential to increase combat effectiveness and reduce the workforce. It will be used to autonomously pilot vehicles, respond to threats in the air, and conduct reconnaissance and guide smart weapon systems. It will help with strategic planning and even provide assistance during ground combat.

Imagine for a second, the AI version of the disgruntled E-4!

AI is not only beneficial to military operations, it will also help with those boring jobs in logistics and supply chains. It can be used to predict demand for supplies and the most efficient routes for transport.

While there are many benefits of military AI, there are also potential risks. Some of these risks include military AI being hacked, weaponized, or misused in ways not intended by its creators. China or Putin’s Russia anyone?

The future of Military AI is kind of fuzzy which could be good or bad.

 

How Will It Affect Warfare?

In the near future, AI will be a part of military operations. It will be used in the field for combat and reconnaissance. In fact, AI-powered drones have been used in both battlefields and disaster zones, from Afghanistan to the Fukushima Nuclear Plant.

AI will be used in a variety of ways. It will be a part of combat operations, reconnaissance, and training. For example, AI can be used to build a 3D map of a combat zone. This would allow military personnel to plan their operations based on this map.

Another example of how AI can be used is in the training of new recruits. The military could use AI to simulate possible combat scenarios and determine which recruits are most likely to succeed in these scenarios. In this way, the military could train recruits using AI before deploying them to a combat zone, and we think that’s pretty cool.

Perhaps surprisingly, AI may also be used in negotiation scenarios. Military negotiators could use AI to predict and prepare for negotiation outcomes and then use that data to plan their next steps in negotiations, such as predicting what response an opponent might have.

These are just some of the examples of how AI will be used in military operations in the future.

 

The Future?

It is no secret that current warfare needs to be reconsidered. What we’ve done in the past isn’t working. Afghanistan anyone? Bueller? With the emergence of new technologies, what we know about warfare needs to be reconsidered as well.

The U.S. Department of Defense has announced a major initiative to invest in artificial intelligence for a range of military operations — from predicting the weather to detecting and tracking enemies.

It will have a huge impact on both the speed and combat effectiveness of operations, as well as the ethical implications of what we leave behind for future generations. Military AI is not an issue that will go away anytime soon. And as it becomes more prevalent, it will create a future that is quite different from what we know now.

 

What Will Military AI Be Capable of in 10 Years?

AI will open up many possibilities for military operations in the future. For example, AI has the potential to take on tasks that are not human-safe. AI will be able to analyze data at a faster rate than humans, which will provide a tactical advantage.

If autonomous tanks are also developed, they could easily take over for soldiers on the ground in the same way that drones have taken over for pilots in the air.

AI can also be used to better coordinate drone swarms. The use of drones in the military has become more popular, and these robots can be used to take on many different tasks. For example, swarms of drones could be used to both attack and defend.

However, these advancements come with ethical implications. For example, autonomous weapons could potentially kill without human input. They could be used indiscriminately and quite possibly create more civilian casualties than conventional weapons.

So, what does this all mean? The future of military AI is unclear and may be full of ethical dilemmas. However, it seems like AI is here to stay and will continue to provide both benefits and hindrances.

 

When Will We See Autonomous Killing Machines?

The future of military AI is now. We are already seeing the effects of military AI in operations today. For example, Lockheed Martin’s Aegis system can control multiple air defense systems simultaneously. This means that the Aegis system can monitor more than 100 targets at one time.

However, AI will have a much more significant impact on the military in the near future. AI will have a profound effect on combat operations, logistics, and training. Combat operations will be faster and more precise because AI can handle complex tasks more quickly than humans. Logistics will be more efficient because AI systems will be able to better coordinate the transport of supplies. And training will be more effective because AI can provide personalized instruction to soldiers.

But it may not be too long before we see autonomous killing machines. Russian President Vladimir Putin has indicated an interest in developing robot fighting machines with “artificial intelligence.” Remember our previous Terminator comment? And other countries are developing autonomous lethal machines, too. Their names rhyme with Russia, and China…

 

Ethical Implications

There are many ethical implications regarding the use of military AI. For example, there is the risk of AI taking control of military assets, like drones. If one AI-controlled drone gets hacked, it could cause mass destruction.

Another ethical issue is the use of autonomous weapons systems. Many people argue that these systems are immoral because they don’t give soldiers the chance to defend themselves.

The use of AI in military operations will continue to grow in the coming years. It’s important to keep in mind the ethical implications that come with this growth.

 

Should There Be Limits on What Can Be Done With Military AI?

Technology always has a way of evolving and improving. That’s one of its best features. But not all innovation is good.

This means that AI will be used to fight wars, which is a cause for concern.

In the past, humans have had to make difficult decisions in times of war. But with AI, that decision could be made without the input of a human moral compass.

That’s why there’s debate over whether or not there should be limits on what can be done with military AI. It usually comes down to two camps” Elon Musk’s camp of, “AI will destroy us.” Then the more optimistic camp of Tony Robbins, “AI will save us from ourselves.”

An increasing number of people believe that AI should be regulated (Elon is one, and I tend to agree with him) and that there should be a ban on autonomous weapons. These arguments center on the idea that without a human in the decision-making process, there is no accountability. In fact, rewind that… there’s often no accountability within the current government. Afghanistan pullout anyone?

In light of these controversies, what does the future hold?

The future of military AI is unclear, but it will be a major force in future wars. There are ethical implications that we need to think about and try to regulate now before Skynet takes over and makes slaves of us all.

About Brandon Webb View All Posts

Brandon Webb, a former Navy SEAL sniper and Naval Special Warfare Sniper Course Manager, is renowned for training some of America's legendary snipers. He is a multiple New York Times Bestselling Author, Entrepreneur, and Speaker. Webb is the Editor-in-Chief of the SOFREP news team, a collective of military journalists.

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