- It seems sci-fi, but in the next decade, technology will give a new look to warfare
By M Awais Babar
Artificial intelligence is a new emerging technology. Over time, this will be ready to take more responsibility for humans in the military and commercial markets. After astonishing research, most countries have started working on the blending of AI into their military doctrines. Such a shift is extensively seen in the south Asian region as well.
AI is difficult to define because of its comprehensive structure if we define it as “AIÂ refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions.” The significant breakthrough in AI was seen in 2016 when a human lost game from computer programmed, which was the turning point of AI in the commercial market. After hat, great power is struggling more to enter AI in military doctrine.
Prominent academicians of the world, such as Stephen Hawking and Elon musk, called to ban developing autonomous weapons, which will become “Kalashnikov’s of tomorrow.”
This revolutionary technology will significantly change the defense sector, such as autonomous weapons in warfare while removing human intelligence and the human error factor. These autonomous weapons will run on algorithms and date, which is a deep concern for political scientists.
During the cold war, a Russian radar operator saw from from radar screen that several US missiles are moving toward USSR territory at this scenario soviet military protocol indicates to respond with the nuclear attack. However, the operator, whose main job was to report it to a superior, but dismissed it as a false alarm. This rationality factor is ignored in fully autonomous weapons.
The USA is currently investing more and more in LAWS (Lethal autonomous weapons system), naturally known as killer robots. These killer robots can detect and engage targets without human intervention; these killer robots are entirely autonomous. The USA believes that this robot is a game-changer to counter China and Russia soon. The USA is a more vigorous supporter of killer robots. They are the main obstacle to a UN resolution which is related to the ban on autonomous weapons.
China is also taking some significant steps to counter US supremacy in the military domain, which is a tremendous challenge for china. China believed that autonomous weapons are the only solution to counter US supremacy.
The world’s significant power is moving toward AI, which is a severe concern for the developing countries. Pakistan has several times called for a primitive ban on autonomous weapons, but the USA, the UK and India believe that a ban on autonomous weapons is premature. On the other hand, Pakistan believes that the introduction of AI in South Asia is an irrational step of India because both state leadership believed that they would not afford full-fledged war. However, the option of crisis management and the de-escalation phase is ignored by Indian military leadership in these autonomous weapons, which raises concerns for the Pakistan military leadership.
India’s land warfare doctrine (LWD) December 2018 indicates the integration of AI in the military forces to counter the existing threat. India’s military strategists have a serious concern about the Chinese Blowfish drone and an autonomous submarine, fully integrated with AI. Chief of Defense Staff of India Gen Bipin Rawat has said that “since our adversaries are revolutionizing the scope of their defence capacities, it is better that we catch up with them before it is too late.” This showing that how the Indian military is serious about the integration of AI in the military domain. This modernization drama seriously endangers South Asia’s peace, but on the other hand, Pakistan believes that India’s military modernization’s main ambition to counter Pakistan and gain leverage on them.
International scholars believed that if India integrated AI in the military domain then who would be responsible for stopping the war between Pakistan and Indi?. In the past the USA stopped minor skirmishes between these two states, Pakistan believed that once these autonomous weapons would active, it would disturb strategic stability and South Asia would indulge in the new arms race.
Another main concern in Pakistan about India military modernization is India would use AI to suppress the movement of Kashmiris. It would be challenging for a killer robot to find who is innocent and who is freedom fighter because these killer robots are just hungry for algorithm and data. They would respond to any minor stimulus or difference which a human would ignore.
The world’s biggest power is moving toward AI, which is a severe concern for the developing countries. Pakistan has several times called for a primitive ban on autonomous weapons, but the USA, the UK and India believe that a ban on autonomous weapons is premature. On the other hand, Pakistan believes that the introduction of AI in South Asia is an irrational step of India because both state leadership believed that they would not afford full-fledged war. However, the option of crisis management and the de-escalation phase is ignored by Indian military leadership in these autonomous weapons, which raises concerns for the Pakistan military leadership.
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