The technological revolution of the 21st century is changing the face of the United States  warfighter. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is disrupting modern warfare while giving the US military, its  partners, and subsidiaries an opportunity to develop the next generation of advanced war technology and  strategy. Developments of this scale and power raise both opportunities and challenges that must be  identified, tracked, and confronted. The US military is actively working to stay at the forefront of research  and development in this uncharted territory despite uncertainty, distrust, and concerns buzzing around AI  applications.  

 AI has already had tangible impacts on data analysis and computing. Since World War II, The US  has used partially autonomous systems in its tech, and today AI has allowed for revolutionized data  processing[1]. AI can sift through thousands of sources, languages, platforms, and data sets in countless  use cases to identify trends and make recommendations[2]. The Information and Communication sector  has grown and benefited the most from AI development – mainly because this sector receives the most  funding. But some researchers attribute AI’s success in the information sphere to fewer perceived ethical  dilemmas and safety risks attributed to AI’s deployment for information purposes[3]. But this perceived  safety is not necessarily true safety. While research on the impact that AI has had on cybersecurity is  limited, developers generally understand that AI has the power to augment cybersecurity, but also it can  exploit weak systems and lead to dangerous cyber-attacks[4].  

 AI also has the potential to vastly improve spatial and situational awareness in contested  environments through machine learning. Referred to as ‘mosaic warfare’, AI can link warfighter  platforms like missile batteries, tanks, planes, ships, etc. through communication networks[5]. This  capability can support decision-making and mission planning in ways that human expertise alone may  not. Defense research laboratories are developing technologies that optimize mission planning and  execution in this way.  

 But some major challenge that the defense industry needs to overcome is public trust, ethics, and  legislation regarding AI. A lot of AI technology is developed in the lab but not integrated into military  technology because of performance uncertainty and fear of backlash[6]. Some opposers call unmanned  drones and vehicles ‘autonomous killing machines.’ And if an autonomous machine misreads its  surrounds and makes an error that takes a life, where is accountability sought? These kinds of questions  plague AI development, and there is no clear solution to dilemmas of this nature.   Researchers and scholars predict that militaries will introduce robots capable of undertaking tasks  and missions autonomously eventually[7]. But as mentioned, implementation needs to overcome hurdles  beyond only lab production. And the Department of Defense and other agencies barely have a  comprehensive definition of AI published, let alone strict, extensive ethical law. While in the past few  years, the Department of Defense has improved and released guidelines for industry, there is space for  development.  

 This article is meant to highlight some ways in which AI is changing and challenging the  warfighter. For now, AI’s major contributions to the warfighter are in information and communication  advancements. These advancements can overhaul warfare on their own, but researchers see another wave  of AI on the horizon in the form of autonomous robots and machines. And this technology will demand  that the US military use care, caution, and precise planning to maintain a safe, secure, and ethical war  force.  

Sources  

[1]: Cummings, M. (2017). Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Warfare. International Security  Department and US and the Americas Programme. 

[2]: Jensen, B. M., Whyte, C., & Cuomo, S. (2020). Algorithms at War: The Promise, Peril, and Limits of  Artificial Intelligence. International Studies Review, 526-550.  

[3]: Johnson, J. (2019). Artificial intelligence & future warfare: implications for international security.  Defense & Security Analysis.  

[4]: Maxwell, P. (2020, April 20). Artificial Intelligence is the Future of Warfare (Just Not In the Way  You Think). Retrieved from Modern War Institute at West Point: https://mwi.usma.edu/artificial intelligence-future-warfare-just-not-way-think/  

[5]: Maher, D. (2017). Can artificial intelligence help in the war on cybercrime? Computer Fraud &  Security, 7-9.  

[6]: Coker, C. (2019). Artificial Intelligence and the Future of War. Scandinavian Journal of Military  Studies, 55-60. 

[7]: Susar, D., & Aquaro, V. (2019). Artificial Intelligence: Opportunities and Challenges for the Public  Sector. ICEGOV2019: Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Theory and Practice  of Electronic Governance, 418-426.