Using AI in improving war capabilities
Pentagon, ignoring IBM, Amazon and Oracle, has afforded Microsoft a $10 billion and 10 year project to provide cloud based AI capabilities.It is seems that Pentagon is gearing up for the AI future when wars will not be “fought” using conventional tools and weapons but will entail more complicated and sophisticated AI systems that will be more efficient and precise. It was in 2017, when the Russian President claimed that nation leading the AI race will rule the world.
Many have expressed concerns about soaring threat to humanity due to increasing use of AI in military operations. Per reports, there are machines and systems that are capable of executing an armed operation involving human causalities, without any effective human control or involvement. Though human control, at least of some sort, is speculated and proposed in relation to the use of lethal autonomous weapons (LAWs), it is difficult to imagine why that would that still be considered an option given the economy and efficiency of such weapons. Regardless, the United Nations seeks to keep under control and put a limit on the development of LAWs. Similar has been the stance adopted by the EU.
In view of the aforementioned, it is important to understand that despite the concerns regarding autonomous lethal weapons, they continue to be developed by state agencies and/or other bodies. The language of international and national legal instruments concerning LAWs does express the concern but does not effectively take a stance that will halt the development of such weapons. It seems that such weapons are inevitable and may be, in future, AI will usher in some kind of technology that will make sure that these weapons are used for the benefit of mankind and not to its detriment.
