Militarizing AI: the risks of algorithmic warfare

This chapter examines how military and intelligence agencies are adopting artificial intelligence (AI), and the risks associated with such arrangements. The specter of militarized AI often appears in the form of sentient “killer” robots, but such images conceal a more immediate danger: algorithmic warfare would automate and accelerate decision-making processes, potentially leading to fatal errors and conflict escalation. It would also dramatically increase the likelihood of noncompliance with international laws developed to protect the lives of civilian noncombatants. This chapter critically analyzes US military planners’ attempts to incorporate AI into intelligence and combat applications. It uses anthropological perspectives to explore how AI-enabled weapon systems might lead to the temporal acceleration of war—with potentially catastrophic results. The use of drones and AI targeting and “decision-support systems” in the Ukraine and Gaza wars are analyzed as test cases for future conflicts. The chapter also considers the symbiotic relationship between military agencies and tech firms.