The danger of artificial intelligence use has overshadowed the threat of nuclear weapons due to a critical reduction in decision-making time, which can provoke extreme actions on the battlefield.
AI has become new nuclear weapons / © TSN
The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence poses threats to humanity that, in their scale, are beginning to surpass even the fear of nuclear weapons.
Bloomberg reports on how the danger from AI has come to the forefront during discussions of strategic stability at the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum.
Reduced Time and Irrational Decisions
The main problem with using 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 of Army and Rocket Forces of Pakistan, technologies create a kind of “fog” in which humans simply do not have enough time to assess the situation quickly. This leads to people acting irrationally, and their actions become extreme.
These concerns are shared by Mirjana Spoljaric, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, the only participant on the panel discussion not directly involved in the defense sector. She warned that while technologies can improve lives, they also significantly increase the danger of war.
“We don’t know where the trigger is 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 Use
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 confirmed 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, noted that this technology is already actively working on the battlefield: in particular, Ukrainian forces are using AI to predict Russian attacks, and the US employed it when planning strikes against Iranian targets.
“Artificial intelligence is a huge risk of escalation. I think that’s clear. But I’m not naive. It will be used in this area. It is already being used,” General Eichelsheim concluded.
As a reminder, the Catholic Church sharply criticized the artificial intelligence industry. The Pope wrote his first official letter to the bishops, in which he called for “disarming” technologies. According to him, this is necessary so that AI does not begin to control people, and the field itself is freed from the control of monopolies.
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