Artificial Intelligence on the Battlefield

While Artificial Intelligence offers great potential for militaries, to be successful AI must support and empower soldiers, with autonomous systems maximising human capabilities. It must not hinder them. Soldier-centred design can help maximise the benefits of the technology.  Through soldier-centred design, AI-based technologies would be developed with the soldier at the heart. While in the past, soldiers were often expected to adapt and conform to systems and platforms, the opposite will now be true. In this third episode of Shephard Studio's Artificial Intelligence on the Battlefield podcast, sponsored by our partner Systel, we look more closely at the future of the human-machine interface.

The US and its allies are today focused on multi-domain operations, also known as Joint All-Domain Command and Control.  In simple terms, the concept calls for platforms and systems across land, sea, air, space and cyber to increasingly interact and support one another.  Artificial intelligence will be vital for this future, collecting and manipulating vast amounts of data to make the information useful for military personnel.   But what will this mean for the combat environment, and what tangible benefits will it bring?  Welcome to episode two of the AI on the Battlefield podcast.  In this episode, we consider just what are the practical opportunities and challenges of AI on the battlefield?The technology could transform the military environment, hugely easing the burden on human personnel.  But it's only an advantage when operators can quickly analyse and share the right data to the right person at the right time. And, the same disruptive AI/ML technologies being pursued by the US and its allies could become an advantage for adversary nations such as China – if they get there first. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer the stuff of science fiction but part of everyday reality. The promise and massive advantages of AI have led to doctrinal shifts and reimagining of systems and approaches for militaries around the world. AI can now be found in a vast range of military technology, from autonomous systems to data-gathering sensors. AI and machine learning applications are much quicker than humans, reducing user workload and enhancing productivity. This poses significant challenges and opportunities for militaries. Welcome to Shephard Studio's Artificial Intelligence on the Battlefield podcast, sponsored by our partner Systel.Over the course of three episodes, we are looking at the evolution of AI and machine learning in modern warfare. We discuss the changing capabilities of the US and its allies, as well as the growing challenge from their peer competitors. And we'll consider areas such as information processing and human-machine teaming, asking what this will mean for warfighters in the coming decades. 

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the world in which we live.Evidence of artificial intelligence is all around us and will have profound implications on everyday life in the decades to come.In the military world, artificial intelligence technologies are having a similarly massive effect, and are beginning to change the face of modern warfare.Artificial intelligence and machine learning applications promise to enhance productivity, reduce user workload, and operate more quickly than humans.But, this doesn't come without its challenges.How easy is it for an adversary to fool artificial intelligence systems? How well do AI systems cope with a chaotic and ever-changing conflict? And how will the human-in-the-loop oversee AI systems on a battlefield swarming with autonomous assets?The Artificial Intelligence on the Battlefield podcast dives into these issues and more, looking at just how will Artificial Intelligence reshape the future of warfare?Created by Shephard Studio, in partnership with our sponsor Systel, the Artificial Intelligence on the Battlefield podcast is coming soon, on shephardmedia.com/news or wherever you get your podcasts.