Human-robot strike teams, autonomous land mines, and covert swarms of minuscule robotic spies: the US Department of Defense's idea of the future of war seems like a sci-fi movie.
U.S. Military's AI Weapons
According to Engadget, it took a while for the U.S. military to perfect its defense strategies against cyberattacks and it seems that when it comes to artificial intelligence (AI), U.S. military faces a similar deficit.
Other countries, especially U.S. rivals such as China and Russia, implement less restrictive policies that deal with killer robots and other lethal AI autonomous weapons. This is one of the reasons U.S. cannot afford to be left behind. The nation's military may need deadly AI technology before it's too late.
According to the online publication Quartz, the science research division of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) has published a report that outlines new ways to protect American assets and destroy adversaries. The report sustains the vision that autonomous robotic systems and artificial intelligence will become a vital part of American defense strategy.
New U.S. Military AI Weapons
At the moment, the U.S. military already uses several robotic systems in the battlefield, from bomb disposal robots to attack and reconnaissance drones. But all these are just remotely-piloted systems. At all times, a human operator maintains a high level of control over the machine's actions.
The new DOD report highlights the tactical advantages of purely self-driven machines and humans and working together in the battlefield. The U.S. military also needs to develop AI cybersecurity software able to detect and react to threats faster that is now humanly possible.
According to the report, in the near future AI warfare seems inevitable. For this reason, the DOD has to start investing in the field, as recommended by the science board of the department. Otherwise, according to DefenseOne, U.S. military could lose its edge against adversaries abroad ready to employ autonomous AI weapons against U.S. forces.
