“AI Set to Supersede Nuclear Treaties – Ready for a Shocking Upgrade?”
“AI Is Here to Replace Nuclear Treaties. Scared Yet?”
“In a dusty California desert, tucked among the dunes, AI researchers at the technology startup Descartes Labs have trained an AI model to ‘see’ a key indicator of nuclear reactors—heat. The AI algorithm uses thermal emissions data that satellites already collect.”
Artificial intelligence researchers at tech start-up Descartes Labs have been delving into the intriguing possibilities of AI and satellites, tapping into their combined potential. They found themselves in the California desert of all places, expertly teaching an AI model how to perceive an integral element of nuclear reactors: heat. The geek-approved tactic involves utilizing thermal emissions data that satellites conveniently provide for anyone who knows how to decipher it.
The all-knowing satellites incessantly hover above us, silently collecting thermal emissions data 24/7. That’s their day job, potentially moonlighting as supersized drones for the celestial Uber. But, Descartes Labs has another plan. The team is using the treasure trove of thermal data to train an AI model—an unconventional student that’s never late for class.
No, it’s not skynet from Terminator rising, but AI model, finely-tuned to detect the heat of nuclear reactors. Think of it as a detector beyond political and geographic boundaries, a tireless sentinel watching day and night without needing to stop for a coffee break. And should it ping the heat hint of a hidden or rogue nuclear site—bingo!
Descartes Labs’ accomplishment, while slightly alarming, is quite impressive. The AI model is a combination of sophisticated engineering, cutting-edge technology, and some good-old number crunching. It’s hardly shy of being the technological equivalent of dressing monitor lizards in lab coats.
In a technological world which constantly flirts with Orwellian situations, Descartes Labs’ achievement could add a checker in the plus column. Such a use of AI further tips the balance on the decades-old debate around nuclear arms control. It could play a crucial role in enforcing and strengthening nuclear treaties, bringing an element of transparency and accountability to the high-stakes world of nuclear politics.
To date, the understanding of nuclear models has relied heavily on the old-school method of international trust, which is as reliable as Californian weather forecast during fire season. Could Descartes Labs’ AI-powered satellite system bring us closer to a world where trust isn’t required; is it high time to leave it to the infallible objectivity of machines?
Food for thought: Can AI finally be the answer to keep check on nuclear activities? If Descartes Labs continues their research and improves their AI model further, we might just be on the verge of redefining how we maintain peace and security. Oh, the irony of technology potentially bringing us a safer world, when it’s usually blamed for doing the opposite!
Read the original article here: https://www.wired.com/story/satellites-ai-nuclear-treaties/