Welcome to the war of the future. AI-powered facial recognition software and heat-sensitive cameras spot enemies before they can do any harm. AI is increasingly being used in Ukraine to coordinate the swarms of armed drones to locate and track targets in real time, conduct precision strikes, carry out complex manoeuvres with a high degree of autonomy and help provide air support to ground forces and cloud cover to manned aircraft targeting Russian forces in occupied Ukraine.
If you have been following the headlines about global conflicts, you have probably noticed that drones and, more specifically, artificial intelligence (AI) seem to be playing an increasingly important role in conflicts from Ukraine to Gaza. Drones are no longer used just in surveillance and reconnaissance but also for targeted precision strikes. AI is reshaping not only the battlefields but also the way wars are planned and fought.
Robots powered by AI were once used primarily for dirty and dangerous jobs such as bomb disposal or clearing minefields, tasks that could put humans in harm’s way. These days, military operations are influenced by autonomous weapons or “killer robots” as well as state-of-the-art surveillance systems that use AI in some form or another. Armed aerial vehicles, or weaponised drones, are the centrepiece of the war’s new makeover. Advanced robots and vehicles have also been tested on battlefields for years. Now, they too are ready for prime time.
