IEEE - Aerospace and Electronic Systems - July 2021 - 94

Feature Article:
DOI. No. 10.1109/MAES.2021.3066841
On Digital Ethics for Artificial Intelligence and
Information Fusion in the Defense Domain
Wolfgang Koch , Fraunhofer FKIE, Wachtberg 53343, Germany
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR MINDS AND WILLS
" Intelligence " and " autonomy " are omnipresent phenomena
in the biosphere. Before any scientific reflection or
technical realization, all living creatures fuse sensory perceptions
with information they have learned themselves
and received from other creatures. This gives them a model
of their environment, the basis to act appropriately for
reaching their goals and avoiding harm. In the technosphere,
artificial intelligence (AI) and information fusion
(IF) combined with comprehensive automation provide
technical tools that enhance the perceptive mind and active
will of persons who alone are capable to perceive consciously
and to act responsibly. We, thus, deliberately leave
the term " AI " imprecisely defined here. For us, it comprises
not only machine or deep learning, e.g., but a whole world
ofalgorithms, including approaches to Bayesian learning.
As illustrated in Figure 1, algorithms, realized by the
craft and art of programming and enabled by qualitatively
and quantitatively appropriate testing and training
data, drive a data processing cycle that starts from elementary
real-time sensor signals and observer reports
collected from multiple and heterogeneous sources. IF
combines these streams of mass data with context
knowledge and provides pieces of mission-relevant
information at several levels that are integrated into
comprehensive and near real-time situational awareness
pictures. On their basis, decision makers become aware
of the current situation and decide to act according to
the ends of their mission in a challenging environment.
Algorithms transform their acts of will into partially or
fully automated command sequences for controlling
Authors' current addresses: Wolfgang Koch, University
of Bonn, Bonn 53113, Germany, and also Fraunhofer
FKIE,Wachtberg 53343, Germany (e-mail: w.koch@ieee.
org).
Manuscript received March 5, 2020, revised September
13, 2020; accepted November 14, 2020, and ready for
publication March 15, 2021.
Review handled by Chee-Yee Chong.
0885-8985/21/$26.00 ß 2021 IEEE
94
networking platforms, sensors, and effectors. Among the
AI algorithms are neural networks and machine learning.
The " world of algorithms, " however, comprises
much more than this particular type of information processing
schemes. Thus, algorithms, based on applied
mathematics and running on powerful computing devices
(for a German perspective on quantum computing,
see [1]), are the scientific core for designing cognitive
and volitive tools that assist intelligent minds and autonomous
wills in the " world of human beings. " The concepts
of mind and will and, therefore, of consciousness
and responsibility bring natural beings into view that are
" somebody " and not " something, " i.e., persons, and
open up ethical dimensions.
The USAF General John E. Hyten (b. 1959), ViceChairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has characterized
this situation by rephrasing a passage from John F.
Kennedy's (1917-1963) famous Moon Speech.
" We set sail on this new sea because there is new
knowledge to be gained, and new rights to be
won, and they must be won and usedfor theprogress
of all people. For [artificial intelligence],
like nuclear science and technology, has no conscience
ofits own. Whether it will become aforce
for good or ill depends on man, [...] whether
this new ocean will be a sea ofpeace or a new
terrifying theater ofwar. " [2], [3]
Since the ethical dimension of AI in defense transcends
the scope of a purely scientific discussion and touches the
realm of philosophical arguments, any discussion of so
controversial topic must openly admit the more fundamental
positions of the author who is trying to provide a contribution
to it. Only in this way, a transparent dialog
within the international and intercultural community of
defense scientists will become possible.
PHILOSOPHICAL PRELIMINARIES AND SCOPE
Whoever wants to explore, develop, and leverage cognitive
and volitive assistance systems, " artificial things " that
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JULY 2021
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