IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - September 2023 - 60

Feature
defense must prioritize ethical aspects in collection,
processing, and dissemination to gain public acceptance
and avoid controversies. Robust data protection,
audits, and transparency in AI applications
are crucial for the trust and legitimacy of military
operations.
Logistics
AI is used to predict aircraft maintenance in the
military instead of repairing damaged parts. Information
is extracted from various aircraft parts, including
engines, through real-time sensors and is entered
into a predictive algorithm. Algorithms detect which
parts of the aircraft should be inspected and which
should be replaced. The AI scheduled maintenance
program is another method [16], [17].
The predictive advantages of AI in military
logistics include optimizing resource allocation
and streamlining maintenance processes. However,
heavy reliance on AI exposes the military to
cyber threats. Adversarial attacks targeting AI algorithms
or logistics infrastructure may disrupt critical
operations, necessitating strong cybersecurity
measures, regular AI algorithm updates, and data
security protocols to safeguard military logistics
from emerging threats.
Cyberspace operations
Since the standard cybersecurity tools seek to
find preknown matches to detect malicious codes,
malicious users only need to change a small part
of the code to disrupt the defense. In contrast, AI
cybersecurity tools are trained to find irregularities
in wider network activity patterns and strengthen
protection. AI cybersecurity tools must be able to
" detect, evaluate, and fix software vulnerabilities, "
so military systems can perform tasks and defense
simultaneously. This operation must be completed
before an attack occurs [16].
AI cybersecurity tools show promise in detecting/
responding to cyber threats. Adversaries may exploit
AI vulnerabilities or introduce biased data to evade
detection. Defense departments must proactively
identify/mitigate attacks by auditing AI algorithms
and datasets to ensure accurate and fair cybersecurity
measures.
Command and control
The U.S. military seeks to centralize air, space,
cyberspace, sea, and ground operations with AI. The
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information collected by different sensors is gathered
in one place by AI and used centrally to control the
systems [16]. Centralizing military operations with
AI-powered command and control systems provides
unprecedented coordination and decision-making
capabilities.
However, over-reliance on AI without human
oversight can create vulnerabilities. Defense departments
must balance AI's decision-making and
human intervention for a secure command and
control infrastructure. Human oversight and control
system redundancy ensure reliability and security
against adversarial threats.
Semiautonomous and autonomous vehicles
Militaries aim to combine AI with autonomous
systems like unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs),
unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), fighter aircraft,
and unmanned naval vessels (UNVs). Integrating
AI with these systems enhances military
capabilities, reducing human exposure to dangers
[16]. However, concerns about fully autonomous
weapons call for proactive measures to ensure
ethical deployment. Collaboration among nations
is crucial to establish ethical guidelines and regulations
governing AI-enabled autonomous vehicles
in the military, promoting safe adoption while
addressing ethical considerations and minimizing
risks.
Lethal autonomous weapon systems
These weapons utilize sensor suites and computer
algorithms to recognize the target independently
and autonomously. They use an
onboard weapon system to damage the target.
All control steps in these weapons are performed
without human intervention. Such systems are
used in high-risk and degraded environments,
environments where old weapons cannot be used,
or environments where people's direct presence is
impossible [16], [17].
Lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS) present
ethical and legal challenges in delegating lethal
decisions to machines. While it may reduce casualties
and protect soldiers, concerns about human
control and accountability persist. To address this,
meaningful discussions and clear norms must be
established globally. Ensuring human oversight of
AI's lethal actions is essential for upholding humanitarian
law and ethical standards in armed conflicts.
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - September 2023

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