Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt recently penned an article that expressed concerns that the U.S.’ preparedness for future wars involving AI is lacking and is “unprepared.”
Published earlier this month in Foreign Affairs, the two explained that within the last several years major advancements in warfare have been seen in places such as Ukraine, Israel, and others. They say “future wars will no longer be about who can mass the most people or field the best jets, ships, and tanks. Instead, they will be dominated by increasingly autonomous weapons systems and powerful algorithms.”
However, Milley and Schmidt claim the U.S. is unprepared for upcoming conflicts as its soldiers and equipment have not been acclimated and updated for this new environment. They come from the perspective that future conflicts involving Russia and China are practically a given, and while they are retrofitting their militaries to accommodate these advanced weapons and combat systems, the U.S. needs to pick up the slack quickly to remain dominant.
They wrote:
Unfortunately, this is a future for which the United States remains unprepared. Its troops are not fully ready to fight in an environment in which they rarely enjoy the element of surprise. Its jets, ships, and tanks are not equipped to defend against an onslaught of drones. The military has not yet embraced artificial intelligence. The Pentagon does not have nearly enough initiatives aimed at rectifying these failures—and its current efforts are moving too slowly. Meanwhile, the Russian military has fielded many AI-powered drones in Ukraine. And in April, China announced its largest military restructuring in almost a decade, with a new emphasis on building up technology-driven forces.
If it wants to remain the preeminent global power, the United States will have to quickly shift course. The country needs to reform the structure of its armed forces. The U.S. military needs to reform its tactics and leadership development. It needs new ways to procure equipment. It needs to buy new types of gear. And it needs to better train soldiers to operate drones and use AI.
American policymakers, accustomed to governing the world’s most powerful defense apparatus, may not like the idea of such a systemic overhaul. But robots and AI are here to stay. If the United States fails to lead this revolution, malevolent actors equipped with new technologies will become more willing to attempt attacks on the United States.
When they do, they might succeed. Even if Washington prevails, it will find itself increasingly surrounded by military systems designed to support autocracies and deployed with little respect for liberal values. The United States must therefore transform its armed forces so it can maintain a decisive military advantage—and ensure that robots and AI are used in an ethical manner.
[…] The next major conflict will likely see the wholesale integration of AI into every aspect of military planning and execution. AI systems could, for instance, simulate different tactical and operational approaches thousands of times, drastically shortening the period between preparation and execution. […] The United States must change and adapt, as well, and American officials must do so faster than their country’s adversaries. Washington won’t get it exactly right—but it must get it less wrong than its enemies.Milley and Schmidt write as if a Chinese invasion of Taiwan is already foregone conclusion, and argue that the mass production of drone swarms, much cheaper than traditional ariel weaponry and jets, would be needed to repel the Chinese.
“To stop such an attack, Taiwan and its allies would have to strike an enormous number of invading enemy assault craft within a very short time window,” they wrote. “Unmanned systems—on land, sea, and air—may be the only way to do so effectively. […] Western governments are at work developing such drones, and as soon as these new models are ready, Taiwan and its allies must manufacture them en masse.”
Be that as it may, Russia and China are beating the U.S. in AI weaponry and drone production. “But some countries are further along than others. And unfortunately, the United States’ adversaries are, in many ways, in the lead,” they say.
To rectify this, the pair claim, “Washington has the resources to keep outspending them, but even if it maintains this lead, it could struggle to overcome the bureaucratic and industrial obstacles to deploying its inventions on the battlefield.”
To adapt for the future, however, the United States will need to do more than simply reform the way it purchases weapons. It must also change the military’s organizational structures and training systems. It should make its complex, hierarchical chain of command more flexible and give greater autonomy to small, highly mobile units.
They add
Milley and Schmidt point out the inherited risks of using AI and unmanned systems that could lead to much greater consequences and death, and so therefore there should be some personal oversight and prevention measures to let “terrorists” get ahold these technologies.
The authors contend that if enemies and allies alike choose not to comply with strict controls then the U.S. should sanction them and be assertive with their leadership.
And the United States should pressure other countries—allies and adversaries alike—to adopt similar procedures. If other states refuse, Washington and its partners should use economic restrictions to limit their access to military AI. The next generation of autonomous weapons must be built in accordance with liberal values and a universal respect for human rights—and that requires aggressive U.S. leadership.
The duo argue
AUTHOR COMMENTARY
This is more neocon American exceptionalism blithering as usual from bootlicker General Mickey Mouse, and this big-tech geek. The hubris, per usual, is immense; and think we are all that and a bag of chips. After thousands of failed sanctions later, these two warmongers are still talking about using economic sanctions and bullying. Absolutely comical!
And this is the same general who wants the Pentagon and Secret Service to remove content that critiques the generals. SEE: Pentagon Secret Service Documents Reveals They Scan Social Media For “Mean” Posts Criticizing Generals
And these guys speak with such certainty that the U.S. will be at war with Russia, China, Iran, and anyone made-up boogieman they invent. And yet the unfortunate thing is that seems to be guaranteed at this point; but the U.S. simply is not prepared in all facets – something I have covered a number of times before.
Mark 13:7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. [8] For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.
[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).
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The biggest threat is U.N. Please see the Lair of the Dragon by Celeste Solum.
How strong can a military be; when they are too worried about “pronouns” and “who ya identify as “.
No kick butt attitude.
Any military that’s all about equality, diversity, woke, pronouns, pro-LGBTQIA, feminism, and all this satanic garbage are going to be wiped out in mere seconds.
Russia is the polar opposite of the west and they’re going to eat America like a bowl of ramen and come back for second helpings!