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“Something Old, Something New” – Reflections on AI and the Just War Tradition

Timothy J. Demy

Artificial Intelligence and Global Security

ISBN: 978-1-78973-812-4, eISBN: 978-1-78973-811-7

Publication date: 15 July 2020

Abstract

This chapter presents reflections and considerations regarding artificial intelligence (AI) and contemporary and future warfare. As “an evolving collection of computational techniques for solving problems,” AI holds great potential for national defense endeavors (Rubin, Stafford, Mertoguno, & Lukos, 2018). Though decades old, AI is becoming an integral instrument of war for contemporary warfighters. But there are also challenges and uncertainties. Johannsen, Solka, and Rigsby (2018), scientists who work with AI and national defense, ask, “are we moving too quickly with a technology we still don't fully understand?” Their concern is not if AI should be used, but, if research and development of it and pursuit of its usage are following a course that will reap the rewards desired. Although they have long-term optimism, they ask: “Until theory can catch up with practice, is a system whose outputs we can neither predict nor explain really all that desirable?” 1 Time (speed of development) is a factor, but so too are research and development priorities, guidelines, and strong accountability mechanisms. 2

Keywords

  • Ethics
  • Just war tradition
  • History
  • Values
  • Ideas
  • Framework

Citation

Demy, T.J. (2020), "“Something Old, Something New” – Reflections on AI and the Just War Tradition", Masakowski, Y.R. (Ed.) Artificial Intelligence and Global Security, Emerald Publishing Limited, pp. 53-62. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-78973-811-720201003

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020 Emerald Publishing Limited

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