Fighting artificial intelligence battles: operational concepts for future AI-enabled war

In recent years, militaries around the world have recognised the need to rapidly increase investments in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and examine the potential ways it may be employed in future warfighting. Over time, AI will likely infuse most military equipment and enable the battlespace. Yet, there is still much to be determined in terms of the application and management of AI as a military capability.

AI machine learning has enormous potential for enhancing efficiency, quickly identifying patterns and detecting items within very large data troves. But, AI also has known weaknesses and lacks robustness and, to be effective, it must still be carefully teamed with humans.

In this paper, Dr Peter Layton considers these issues and proposes operational level defensive and offensive concepts for an AI-enabled battlespace. He then explores how these concepts may be applied to the traditional sea, land and air domains. The intent is to stimulate discussion and new ways of thinking about how AI may be employed in the future and how to begin preparing for that future now.

Dr Peter Layton is a Visiting Fellow at the Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University, a Royal United Services Institute Associate Fellow and a RAAF Reserve Group Captain.

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