Cyber Warfare and Military

Cyber warfare is computer or network-based conflict involving politically motivated attacks by a nation-state on another nation and in these types of attacks, the actors attempt to disrupt the activities of the organizations/nation-states through computer virus or denial of services, especially for strategic or military purposes that also includes cyber espionage. After the bloody fight at Galwan valley, China launched thousands of cyber attacks against Indian companies and computer systems. Attacks by terrorists or hacker groups aimed at furthering the goals of particular nations also form part of cyber warfare. There are a number of examples of cyber operations including those by Estonia, Georgia and Iran and the first instance of kinetic action used in response to a cyber-attack was seen on May 5, 2019, when the Israelis destroyed a building associated with an on-going cyber-attack. The USA, Russia, China, Iran and Vietnam have developed significant offensive/defensive cyber security operations and capabilities.

AI and Cyber Operations in Grey Zone/Hybrid Warfare

In hybrid warfare, data could be leveraged effectively to achieve distinct advantages, yet remain below the threshold of conventional warfare. Though kinetic effect may still remain relevant, utilizing AI, big data and cloud computing could play an important role in distinguishing, tracking and neutralizing asymmetric elements. Computer vision powered by AI and machine learning is rapidly improving and could help the armed forces and intelligence agencies to accelerate the screening and scouring of vast amounts of data. With social media and other online platforms offering mountains of data on virtually every citizen, AI can be used to detect influence operations and identify terrorist plots. AI-based communication technology and data analytics could assist in locating and tracking such elements and thereafter help in either preventing terror attacks or in neutralizing such elements. Profiling and tracking of non-state actors, terror elements and their handlers along with their behaviour quirks would be much easier with the help of AI based technologies that employ predictive techniques and use of cyber domain to penetrate communication networks.

Challenges with AI Systems and Ethical Issues

While AI may have a significant impact on weapon systems and the way warfare is conducted in the future as it would help make informed decisions, enhance autonomous operations as well as help in increasing the scale and tempo of operations, at the same time, there are serious challenges with respect to the indiscriminate use of such systems in conflict situations. Though robotic systems lessen the probability of military casualties, the moot question is whether machines should be allowed to make life-and-death decisions in battle? Who would be accountable for the actions of completely autonomous systems; the programmer, the machine, or the state that deploys these weapons?

Even though the ability to discriminate would be high, the ethical issue would be whether AI systems will have complete freedom to be employed indiscriminately with the help of pre-programmed algorithms or is there a requirement for some form of human intervention to ensure that there is a degree of inbuilt safety for proportionate use? If we have human intervention, then it would not be truly autonomous. The other key issue is that if AI-based systems due to deep learning take autonomous action, though appropriate in a hostile situation, but due to their precision and speed may attack unintended targets that are also present in that area that though hostile may actually escalate the conflict further as the adversary may have no choice but to react accordingly.

Conclusion

There are two key characteristics of AI systems; first the ability to use data to make decisions and second, to be autonomous. Autonomous means the freedom to choose its own course of action or attack target systems freely without human intervention. AI, big data, additive manufacturing, virtual and augmented reality, remote sensing, unmanned systems, hypersonic technologies, electro-magnetic weapons and quantum computing are central to the efforts of most modern militaries to enhance the effectiveness of people, platforms and systems in a technologically advanced battlefield. In future, AI would make a deep impact in Command and Control systems, advanced weapon systems, transportation, logistics and maintenance, unmanned drones and grey zone/hybrid warfare.

While AI is likely to create a significant impact on future warfare, there are also serious challenges with respect to its indiscriminate use in conflict situations. Though robotic systems lessen military casualties, the moot question, however, is whether machines should be allowed to take life-and-death decisions. Furthermore, Artificially Intelligent systems are data dependent and data can easily be corrupted or destroyed. This also implies that there would be a link between AI and cyber warfare, wherein, if cyber operations are employed, then AI-based systems could be corrupted and thereafter it could result in disastrous consequences.

Cyber weapons are therefore likely to be used at the beginning of combat operations. It is here that computer systems, communication platforms, campaign planning digital systems and command and control networks would be vulnerable. This is where a number of protective measures need to be taken and firewalls created along with a battery of cyber warriors prepared for offensive and defensive operations.