Pentagon expands AI role in military strategy - ForkLog

# Pentagon Expanded AI Role in Military Strategy

The Pentagon secretly approved an updated doctrine for the use of AI to select targets on the battlefield, Bloomberg journalists learned. The document, signed in April, is not classified, but was not published to the public.

The new wording describes "combat systems in which artificial intelligence initiates actions under human monitoring."

According to the document, the speed of wars and the progress of adversaries in AI may require U.S. military forces to create "fully autonomous systems." It is stated that the new technology should shorten the cycle "from sensor to target engagement" and increase the tempo of operations.

The doctrine expands AI tasks in intelligence processing. In particular, systems must more quickly correlate targeting information from multiple platforms, creating a more complete picture of the situation. Commanders are encouraged to more actively use neural networks for analysis, decision-making, and risk management.

The document also contains provisions on "reducing harm to civilians."

At the same time, the Pentagon warns about the consequences of excessive dependence on algorithms. The text mentions "serious moral and legal dilemmas" and the need for clear ethical rules for decisions made by AI. The appendix on automation integration separately emphasizes: it does not replace human thinking and proactive communication.

The department called the revision of the doctrine the result of years of work, taking into account exercises, war games, and an assessment of the future security environment

"The military department ensures that humans are always aware of important operational decisions. The department's AI technologies do not allow autonomous selection of targets or strikes against them. This guarantees that commanders remain responsible for every decision, allowing them to act in accordance with the most up-to-date and accurate operational picture," a Pentagon representative told journalists in a comment.

On the same day as Bloomberg's article publication, the department released a separate press release — about "launching a network of agents to transform battle management and target selection systems."

"We are creating a compatible network of AI agents that provides commanders with faster access to better information, while keeping human judgment at the center of every targeting decision," said Pentagon Chief Digital Officer Cameron Stanley

Journalists emphasized that back in 2023, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for a ban on lethal autonomous weapons systems, calling them "politically unacceptable" and "morally repugnant."

Recall that in June, the Pentagon reported a 1775% increase in AI adoption among its employees.