03/05/2025
📘 The author of the book "Army of None: Autonomous Weapons and the Future of War" has written that “It’s quite likely that the types of AI systems that we’ve seen to date are pretty modest, actually, compared to ones that are likely to come in the near future.” Humanity already possesses drones that can find their own targets, and a conflict between machine versus machine is just a software update away. A new reality is unfolding in the Gaza Strip, with artificial intelligence suggesting targets to the Israeli Defense Forces. Two programs that have been used by the Israeli army include “The Gospel,” which suggests buildings and structures that might have been used by militant groups, and “Lavender,” which identifies suspected Hamas members and other armed groups, from commanders to foot soldiers, for assassination. Tal Mimran, a former legal adviser in the IDF and a lecturer at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, has mentioned that first, it took 250 days and 20 intelligence officers to find 200 to 250 targets, and now, AI can do it in a week.
On the other hand, the Russia-Ukraine conflict has sparked the proliferation of low-cost drones and robotic systems that have reshaped modern warfare, increasing reliance on autonomous and remote-controlled technologies. In 2023, Ukraine claimed it was deploying autonomous drones without human oversight to hit Russian targets. Mick Ryan, the former Australian Major General, suggested that the last three years have seen significant innovation in weapons after World War II. So here, the question arises: When did artificial intelligence actually start taking part in military decision-making?
Back in the 1960s, the US Department of Defense began to train computers to mimic basic human reasoning. And by 1991, the US military started using the Dynamic Analysis and Replanning Tool (DART) to schedule the transportation of military personnel and supplies as well as to optimize resources and routes. Unlike previous wars, today’s decision-makers have less time to make strategic decisions, which incentivizes them to rely more and more on artificial intelligence.
