Bonn 2020 – scientific programme

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AGA: Arbeitsgruppe Physik und Abrüstung

AGA 1: New Technologies

AGA 1.4: Talk

Wednesday, April 1, 2020, 12:35–13:00, H-HS XVII

AI in Decision-Making: Situational Awareness, Early Warning and Command & Control — •Christian Alwardt — Institut für Friedensforschung und Sicherheitspolitik an der Universität Hamburg

Emerging technologies are a key driver for the development and deployment of modern weapon systems and the ongoing automation of warfare. The foreseeable advances in "Artificial Intelligence" (AI), such as in research and machine learning combined with increased global access to advanced computer technologies might lead to the broader use and proliferation of "game changing" software technologies. In turn, this could fundamentally revolutionize elements of warfare such as situational awareness and decision-making. Such developments would most likely upset future arms dynamics and trigger the worldwide transformation of military forces - the military requirements of quick decision-making and execution would not only increase but also prompt further automation of command and control procedures. As a result, states could be confronted with an "automation race" coupled with increasing risks of misunderstanding and lost situational human control. In a crisis situation, this could lead to regional and strategic instability, as well as to unintended military escalations.

This talk will introduce the increasing importance of algorithms in military decision-making, briefly present exemplary fields of application, discuss the risks and show the difficulties of arriving at arms control agreements.