The peril of employing artificial intelligence has overshadowed the threat of nuclear weaponry due to a critical reduction in decision-making time, which can provoke extreme actions on the battlefield.
AI has become the new nuclear weapon / © TSN
The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence is posing threats to humanity that, in their magnitude, are beginning to surpass even the fear of nuclear weapons.
Bloomberg reports on how the danger posed by AI has come to the forefront during discussions of strategic stability at the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum.
Reduced Time and Irrational Decisions
The primary issue with utilizing artificial intelligence for military purposes lies in the so-called disruption of the “OODA loop” (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act). According to Lieutenant General Nauman Zakria, commander of the 1st Corps and Rocket Forces of Pakistan, technologies create a kind of “fog” in which humans simply cannot assess the situation quickly enough. This leads to people acting irrationally, and their actions becoming extreme.
These concerns are shared by Mirjana Spoljaric, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, the only panel participant not directly involved in the defense sector. She warned that while technologies can improve lives, they also significantly amplify the dangers of war.
“We don’t know where the trigger is being pulled. It could be thousands of kilometers away. Therefore, while AI has the potential to protect civilians, we are currently only seeing its negative side,” Spoljaric emphasized.
Nuclear Deterrence and the Realities of AI Deployment
Despite the dominance of the artificial intelligence topic, nuclear weapons, as a classic tool of strategic deterrence, were also actively discussed at the forum. Major General Meng Xiangqing of the People’s Liberation Army of China reaffirmed Beijing’s policy of no first use of nuclear weapons and added that if more countries adopted such a stance, the world would become a safer place.
However, the conversation repeatedly returned to artificial intelligence, which has already become a reality in modern armed conflicts. General Onno Eichelsheim, Chief of Defence of the Netherlands Armed Forces, noted that this technology is already actively working on the battlefield. Specifically, Ukrainian forces are using AI to predict Russian attacks, and the US has employed it in planning strikes on Iranian targets.
“Artificial intelligence presents a huge risk of escalation. I think that’s clear. But I’m not naive. It will be used in this domain. It is already being used,” General Eichelsheim concluded.
As a reminder, the Catholic Church has sharply criticized the artificial intelligence industry. The Pope has written his first official letter to bishops, urging them to “disarm” technologies. According to him, this is necessary to prevent AI from beginning to control people and to free the field from the control of monopolies.
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