The use of robots on the battlefield is at the infancy stage but seems to be an inevitable destination for the American military (Doaré et al., 2014). Several themes are surrounding the subject of the use of robots on the battlefield. These themes include the artificial intelligence, ethics, mortality, and cost or maintenance aspect (Doaré et al., 2014). This section will dissect the theme of artificial intelligence and highlight the strengths and concerns that the proponents and opponents have respectively presented in different research studies focusing on this theme.
Artificial Intelligence
Advancement in the artificial intelligence industry is the most attractive factor in the use of machines in various sectors, including national security. The United States National Defense Strategy release of 2018 identified artificial intelligence as a factor that will guarantee the United States’ ability to fight and win wars in the future (Slayer, 2020). Various tasks, such as the assembling and investigation of intelligence information, cyber activities, coordination, and command and overseeing operations, have employed the use of artificial intelligence (Slayer, 2020). Major industries have recognized the value of AI, and as such, its production is increasing in the commercial sector. The military department, thus, needs to act fast and strategically to be above the acquisition of any revolutionary innovations, before they fall into the hands of the enemy.
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Despite its promising results, in theory, the use of AI on the battlefield is a critical issue that congress has been tackling for the last three years. Before signing off on the AI tools, parliament needs to answer questions of which forms will be functional in the battlefield and how to control them. Additionally, they have to weigh the advantages against the vulnerabilities that followed the application of the AI for defense (Slayer, 2020). Luckily, congress could analyze the performance of AI from when the country applied it in Project Maven in Syria and Iraq.
Project Maven, also the Algorithmic Warfare Cross-Function Team, is an excellent example of how AI has helped with the collection and analysis of intelligence for the Department of Defense. Project Maven used AI to distinguish people from objects during the military’s drone surveys for counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations (Doaré et al., 2014). Additionally, this technology peruses through extensive data footage and automatically detect hostile activity (Pellerin, 2017). Previously, human analysts had to go through long hours of footage for information. The invention not only makes their work easy but also saves time the department can direct to security missions. In Afghanistan and Iraq, robots using AI detected explosives and neutralized them, while the human operators maintained their distance way from harm (Doaré et al., 2014). With such advantages, there is a possibility of the application of AI into other military tools.
Challenges to the Use of AI in the Battlefield
The incorporation of AI into the military has not been smooth. Opponents of a full transition into the use of robots in the battlefield have presented the issue of context for the robots. They argue that robots are not flexible enough to respond appropriately to unforeseen situations (Slayer, 2020). During development, the technicians may try to include a variety of commands in the machines. However, the unpredictability of the battlefield may be beyond what the machines can handle.
Moreover, automating a manual with different contexts can be challenging. For instance, the drones for Project Maven relied on historical data to identify hostile activities (Pellerin, 2017). The technology has the capability of missing an improvised explosive device, or falsely highlight devices that may look like previous hostile gadgets. Suppose the Department of Defense wants to move to the point of robots accompanying soldiers on the battlefield. In that case, it should consider the risk this lack of situational awareness may pose to the whole operation.
Another way in which AI technology has failed in terms of situational context is in recognition of multilingual speech recognition and translations in noisy environments (Slayer, 2020). Most of these robots have features to detect language and translate it. However, in a situation where many people are talking at the same time, and multiple languages are present, the technology may fail. Apart from language, research indicates that AI systems may fail when introduced to an environment that is different from their training. For instance, developers who used formal text to train an AI system to read end up with systems with difficulty in recognizing informal texts like tweets (Slayer, 2020). Furthermore, AI systems may experience difficulty in image recognition of different races from the ones the developers exposed them to during training.
The exploitative characteristic of technology is another paramount argument against the use of robots on the battlefield. AI systems carry kinetic energy that makes them vulnerable to hacking. They are also entirely software-based, meaning an adversary can steal them. The enemy can then proceed to use or reproduce the systems immediately before the Department of Defense finds out. From these concerns, it is evident that the use of AI in the military will need continuous maintenance and tests in order to operate efficiently (Slayer, 2020). While the benefits are tempting, it is crucial to consider the user’s capability to operate and track its functionality in warfighting. However, the decision to incorporate the use of AI in the battlefield will open up the industry to more discoveries in the future and thus, is worth pursuing.
References
Doaré, R., Danet, D., Hanon, J. P., & de Boisboissel, G. (2014). Robots on the battlefield. Contemporary perspectives and implications for the future . Army Combined Arms Center Fort Leavenworth Ks Combined Studies Inst.
Pellerin, C. (2017). Project Maven to deploy computer algorithms to war zone by year’s end. US Department of Defense, 21 . https://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/Article/1254719/project-maven-to-deploy-computer-algorithms-to-war-zone-by-years-end/
Slayer, K. M. (2020). Artificial Intelligence and National Security . Congressional Research SVC Washington United States.
