“Nuclear Connoisseurs Jokingly Claim Fusion of AI and Nuclear Armaments Is Ineluctable”
“Nuclear Experts Say Mixing AI and Nuclear Weapons Is Inevitable”
“Since the original atomic bomb, nuclear weapons have evolved into an array of devices that can deliver world-ending damage with the press of a button, and artificial intelligence is doing the same with the power of code. The two together are an inescapable reality”, mentions the thoughtful piece on Wired.
Oh, the joy that ensues when something so minor as the autonomy of a most-destructive-weapon-ever-designed comes under adventurous speculation. Marvelous!
Harnessing the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) has been the talk of the town for years now. And why wouldn’t it be? It’s promising, transformative, and exciting… unless it’s paired with weapons of mass destruction. Congratulations humanity, you’ve made it so far, just to contemplate handing over the nuclear ‘red button’ to non-sentient AI!
The arguments in favor come from practicality (or laziness, depending upon your perspective), as AI can potentially process and respond to threats more rapidly than their human counterparts. It’s like building a super-efficient security guard – albeit one with the power to incinerate human civilization.
However, as the shortfall of nuclear deterrence is pointed out in the Wired piece, one can’t escape the cold, terrifying feeling of unease at the thought of a machine deciding the course of humanity’s future. AI isn’t infallible, and it certainly hasn’t been coded for empathy or judgement.
Advocates contend that automation of nuclear systems is nothing new. Yes, indeed, ask the good people of Hawaii about the ‘nothing-new-ness’ of automated nuclear alert systems when they received a false missile alarm in 2018. A truly memorable morning jog, wouldn’t you agree?
Don’t get us wrong. We adore AI, in fact, we hail it as the technology of the future; the great game-changer. But when it comes to something as grave as nuclear weaponry, it might be best to let good ol’ human decision-making take the lead. Remember, not every problem needs a high-tech solution. After all, humanity has a flawless record in decision making… right?
Unleashing Pandora’s Box of AI-controlled nuclear weapons isn’t quite a feat to celebrate. As the original article warns, let’s tread gently in our ongoing love affair with AI, lest we are forced to confront the chilling reality of our own obsolescence. Or, worse yet, total annihilation. The future sure has a wicked sense of humor, don’t you think?