This conclusion was reached by experts from the Belfer Center for Science and International Relations of Harvard University. Scientists say that new technologies increasingly influence the foreign policy of states. Countries will have to decide how and to what extent it is permissible to use robots, malware, drones and neuronets in military operations.

The edition of WIRED cites as an example the conventions and declarations of 1899 and 1907, signed at the 1st and 2nd peace conferences in The Hague by the most influential powers of that era. Among other things, countries for a five-year period pledged to abandon the throwing of shells and explosives from balloons or other similar new methods in the conduct of hostilities.

With artificial intelligence something similar happens - from careful discussion military forces of different states pass to the gradual introduction of AI and other technologies. Robotic hackers, DDoS attacks and neural networks have the same effect on international relations and the course of wars as nuclear weapons.

Researchers predict that military affairs will radically change in the coming years. The number of armies will decrease, since soldiers will be replaced by drones. Countries will pay special attention to protection from cyberattacks and combating fake information. "Haytec" wrote about a new generation of fake content, the emergence of which was made possible by generative neural networks.

In the future, states will often have to take diplomatic decisions regarding innovative technologies and determine the boundaries of an acceptable. The authors of the report advise us to start drafting normative documents today.

However, it is difficult to predict the course of history under the influence of AI. Analysts suggest that, thanks to technology, even small states and organizations will receive power on the world stage. Software codes are becoming more accessible, and sometimes distributed free of charge. Systems based on machine learning are also becoming cheaper and better every year. Increase digital power will be much easier than creating your own nuclear weapons.

Technology will increase the imbalance between military opponents. Attacks will become more sophisticated, and military software will appear on the black market. The UN has already expressed fears about new methods of fighting. Representatives of the organization fear that terrorists will take on robots-assassins. Some experts in the field of artificial intelligence and even former employees of the Pentagon agree with this.

However, there is a chance that people will be completely excluded from military battles. Fighting will be robots with drone, and the winner will be the country that will best learn how to manage them.

Source: High Tech.