Paul Scharre, a defense policy analyst has written Army of None, a book that combines Artificial Intelligence and the military. Yes, you may think Terminator. And indeed, the author references Terminator several times throughout the book. The writing style of the book is rather dry and much like a policy manual. But the contents of the book are a much needed sobering jolt to what awaits us as nations jockey for technological and military superiority.
One thinks of the military or armed conflict in abstract terms or in terms of political objectives. For example, Russia annexes Crimea or China muscles into the South China Sea. As a lay person, it does not come naturally to think about the strategic rationale for development of arms and specifically the technology of arms.
However, a moments pause to reflect on turns in history will readily reveal that each new technological advancement has meant political advantage and conquest. The gattling gun, the machine gun, tanks, armed aircraft and so on. Indeed it was guns (and guile) that allowed the British to rule India for two centuries.
Paul Scharre, puts forward a compelling case for the next turn that is upon us. The full integration of Artificial Intelligence into the military. As a result countries are rethinking their military strategy from top to bottom.
Scharre envisions a scenario where a country can put forward an entire "swarm" of drones, automated guided vehicles and unmanned battle ships all integrated, communicating with each other and sent on a mission. The implications of these are overwhelmingly frightening.
Indeed the top ten major powers are in a race pouring billions into building these advanced systems.
The book begins with a rather apocryphal story. The Soviets during the Reagan era falsely assumed that they were under attack of U.S. missiles. At least that is what their systems were telling them. It took one solitary Soviet officer to doubt the signal and NOT fire back. Nuclear armageddon thus hung by a single fragile thread.
Throughout the book, Scharre keeps coming back to moral agency and how that needs to remain at the center of any military strategy. That is of course speaking rationally. Are we confident that human affairs are always based on a foundation of rationality?
If the answer is self-evident, nothing but a worrisome if not terrifying future awaits!
Video:
Robert Work was the Deputy Secretary of Defense under Presidents Obama and Trump. This 40-min speech lays out how the senior most Defense leaders are thinking about A.I.
However, a moments pause to reflect on turns in history will readily reveal that each new technological advancement has meant political advantage and conquest. The gattling gun, the machine gun, tanks, armed aircraft and so on. Indeed it was guns (and guile) that allowed the British to rule India for two centuries.
Paul Scharre, puts forward a compelling case for the next turn that is upon us. The full integration of Artificial Intelligence into the military. As a result countries are rethinking their military strategy from top to bottom.
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| Drone Swarm |
Indeed the top ten major powers are in a race pouring billions into building these advanced systems.
The book begins with a rather apocryphal story. The Soviets during the Reagan era falsely assumed that they were under attack of U.S. missiles. At least that is what their systems were telling them. It took one solitary Soviet officer to doubt the signal and NOT fire back. Nuclear armageddon thus hung by a single fragile thread.
Throughout the book, Scharre keeps coming back to moral agency and how that needs to remain at the center of any military strategy. That is of course speaking rationally. Are we confident that human affairs are always based on a foundation of rationality?
If the answer is self-evident, nothing but a worrisome if not terrifying future awaits!
Video:
Robert Work was the Deputy Secretary of Defense under Presidents Obama and Trump. This 40-min speech lays out how the senior most Defense leaders are thinking about A.I.
Robert Work - The Third Offset
https://youtu.be/wA0epN0L1fc
5 comments:
We will adjust
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This review is very good. It points out the possibility of a terrifying situation when AI and military use of it is combined. But, in my opinion, society is capable of dealing with the same and prosper.
Combined development of AI and military is indeed a frightening possibility. However, society is capable of sustaining and continue to develop. History supports this view. For example, Development of nuclear technology and its use in warfare was a terrible idea. However, no one could stop it and finally, the atomic bomb was used in Hiroshima. However, the two pictures below show that the society there not only survived but prospered after many years. While not minimizing its terrible impact, society did survive and progressed. There are now nuclear weapons hundreds of times more powerful than that bomb. But the society adjusted to it and moves on.
The fact is that, we cannot stop scientific development, however terrific consequences it may have. However, society will adjust to it and continues its progress. Drones are another classical example. They can be used for spying as well as finding water resources. As time passes by, this technology will be used more and more. The society will adjust to it.
However, the collateral damage brought by technological development cannot be minimized. For example, when industrial revolution took place, machines replaced humans in many areas of industrial production. Thousands of people lost jobs permanently. They were aged and with no other skills than what they already had. Did society address their problems? The answer is a deafening NO. So, what is the role of government or other organizations to address the needs of such people? Retrain them to address the new technologies. But often, governments are slow to implement such changes. So, the only answer is a combination of public and private enterprises joining hands to help people to sustain the negatively affected people by technological developments.
Many catastrophic developments took place throughout history due to technological progress. The society always adjusted to it and moved on. The development of AI and the military is no exception. We will survive and progress.
Alarming scenario indeed.
But as on the lines of the International ban on chemical weapons, an ethical code for the use of AI based unmanned weaponry would evolve is my feeling.
The future seems more worrisome than hopeful
Scary indeed. The thought of massive swarms of drones along with cyber war means anybody can play now. It’s not just the richest and most advance all around who will have the overwhelming advantage.
War mania is being created here. People do not know what a misery war brings to every person.
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