1. Artificial Intelligence Coming to Our Aid or Coming for Us?
Consequences of Artificial Intelligence Weaponry
Stjepan Vrbic
As a species, we have always been involved in conflicts. A major part of our resources was spent on this. Recently, many governments have started investing into artificial intelligence as a potential way to gain an edge over their adversaries. What does this mean for modern society and warfare?
Generations of warfare
First generation warfare runs roughly
from the mid 1600s to the mid 1800s.
It is warfare of line and column battles.
Battles were orderly and constrained
to the battlefield. It was brought forth
by the centralization of armies, wars
are now usually led by nations.
Second generation warfare was brought forth
by new technology. Heavy artillery and
machinery brought forth this change.
Military tactics still relied on a rigid chain of
command and obedience was more important
than initiative.
Third generation warfare, unlike the first two
was caused by a shift in tactics, not an
emerging technology. It is not based on
Attrition and raw manpower, rather on
speed, tactics and maneuvering.
Current technology is already starting
to use forms of artificial intelligence
in combat. Unmanned drones are an
example. However, the main
application is in various defense
systems where the goal is to remove
the human aspect of decision-making
and employ AI to make split-second decisions
What will further development of AI bring forth?
Many respected individuals, experts in the field of AI argue it will bring forth another generation of warfare. The removal of the human factor brings up many ethical and logical issues. When there are no humans pulling the trigger, conflicts could become much more unpredictable and dangerous.
On the other hand, giving all this power to something that is not even human may not be so smart. Technology is approaching mind-boggling levels of complexity, however, all that complexity could backfire. And if we are not careful, who knows what might happen.