The U.S. military wants to expand its use of artificial intelligence in warfare, but says it will take care to deploy the technology in accordance with the nation’s values.
In a 17-page report, the Pentagon laid out how it plans to inject artificial intelligence into future military operations and how it will keep up with Russia and China’s advancements in the futuristic technology.
The report, titled ‘Harnessing AI to Advance Our Security and Prosperity,’ marks the first time the Pentagon has developed strategies around how it will respond to the rise of artificial intelligence.
The Pentagon defines AI in its report as the ability of machines to perform tasks that typically require human oversight, like detecting patterns or ‘learning from experience.’
‘AI is poised to transform every industry, and is expected to impact every corner of the Department, spanning operations, training, sustainment, force protection, recruiting, healthcare, and many others,’ the DoD said in the report.
‘With the application of AI to defense, we have an opportunity to improve support for and protection of U.S. service members, safeguard our citizens, defend our allies and partners, and improve the affordability and speed of our operations.’
The plan calls for accelerating the use of AI systems throughout the military, from intelligence-gathering operations to predicting maintenance problems in planes or ships.
It urges the U.S. to advance such technology swiftly before other countries chip away at its technological advantage.
‘Other nations, particularly China and Russia, are making significant investments in AI for military purposes, including in applications that raise questions regarding international norms and human rights,’ the report says.
The report makes little mention of autonomous weapons but cites an existing 2012 military directive that requires humans to be in control.
The U.S. and Russia are among a handful of nations that have blocked efforts at the United Nations for an international ban on ‘killer robots’ – fully autonomous weapons systems that could one day conduct war without human intervention.
The U.S. has argued that it’s premature to try to regulate them.
The strategy unveiled by the Department of Defense this week is focused on more immediate applications, but even some of those have sparked ethical debates.
The Pentagon hit a roadblock in its AI efforts last year after internal protests at Google led the tech company to drop out of Project Maven, which uses algorithms to interpret aerial video images from conflict zones.
Other companies have sought to fill the vacuum, and the Pentagon is working with AI experts from industry and academia to establish ethical guidelines for its AI applications.
‘Everything we’ve seen is with a human decision-maker in the loop,’ said Todd Probert, a vice president at Raytheon’s intelligence division, which is working with the Pentagon on Maven and other projects.
‘It’s using technology to help speed up the process but not supplant the command structure that’s in place.’
The Pentagon’s report follows President Donald Trump’s Monday executive order prioritizing AI research across the government.
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