Deterrence under Uncertainty:: Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear Warfare

Artificial intelligence and nuclear weapons have been warned of causing an apocalypse in films such as WarGames and The Terminator. Deterrence under Uncertainty: Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear Warfare evaluates how AI could make nuclear war winnable and whether it is likely. It provides a practitioner's perspective on how AI and other emerging technologies could change the role of nuclear weapons in international relations.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 31 August 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press

For decades, films such as WarGames and The Terminator have warned that the combination of artificial intelligence and nuclear weapons might be a recipe for an apocalypse. Could these prophecies of doom become reality in the coming decades?

Using insights from computer science, Deterrence under Uncertainty: Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear Warfare evaluates how AI could make nuclear war winnable, and whether that possibility is likely. Detailed chapters explain how the landscape of nuclear deterrence is changing and debunks the myths of machine intelligence and nuclear weapons. This book gives a practitioner's perspective on how artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies could change the role of nuclear weapons in international relations.

The potential for artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance military capabilities and revolutionize warfare has been a topic of debate for many years. While AI has the potential to improve accuracy, efficiency, and decision-making in the military, it also raises concerns about the ethical implications of using AI in combat and the risk of unintended consequences.

One of the most significant concerns about AI in military applications is the risk of autonomous weapons systems. Autonomous weapons systems are capable of making decisions without human intervention, which can lead to unintended consequences and the escalation of conflicts. For example, an autonomous weapon system may mistake a civilian vehicle for a military target or may be programmed to target a specific ethnic group or political ideology.

Another concern is the potential for AI to exacerbate existing power imbalances and lead to the emergence of new military superpowers. As AI technology becomes more advanced, it may become accessible only to a limited number of countries, which could lead to a military arms race and the potential for conflict.

In addition to these concerns, there are also ethical implications of using AI in military applications. For example, AI systems may be trained on data that includes human rights violations or other unethical practices, which could lead to the perpetration of these practices in the future.

To address these concerns, it is important to develop ethical guidelines and regulations for the use of AI in military applications. These guidelines should include measures to prevent the development of autonomous weapons systems, to ensure that AI systems are trained on ethical data, and to ensure that the use of AI in military applications is transparent and accountable.

In conclusion, the use of AI in military applications has the potential to enhance military capabilities and revolutionize warfare, but it also raises significant concerns about the ethical implications of using AI in combat and the risk of unintended consequences. To address these concerns, it is important to develop ethical guidelines and regulations for the use of AI in military applications.

Weight: 622g
Dimension: 163 x 244 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780192886323