Artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing how wars are fought. From autonomous drones to AI-powered command-and-control systems, machines are reducing the role of human decision-makers in warfare.
This transformation is already visible in conflicts in Kyiv, Gaza, and Tehran. AI-powered interceptor drones are used in Ukraine, Israel's AI-enabled target generation system operates in Gaza, and most recently, Palantir's Maven Smart System (MSS) was used to identify and strike thousands of targets during the US-Israeli war on Iran.
On February 28, the first day of the US-Israeli war on Iran, Maven allegedly helped strike over 1,000 targets, including an Iranian primary school in Minab where more than 150 people, mostly children, were killed. Four months later, the Pentagon's investigation remains stalled, with senators demanding answers and Bloomberg reporting that the error traced back to outdated satellite intelligence.
As AI becomes deeply embedded in militaries, the question is not just whether these systems can be trusted to make accurate decisions, but whether they can grapple with the moral consequences of the decisions they make.
Global military expenditure rose 2.9% last year to $2.87 trillion. Spending on AI for military applications is projected to grow from $11.7 billion to nearly $19.3 billion by 2030.
The US regime aims to make the Pentagon an "AI-first fighting force," compressing the OODA loop (observe, orient, decide, act). Fed continuously with new information, AI allows commanders to make decisions at the latest possible moment, trading certainty for speed and adaptability.
However, experts warn that this speed may erode the conditions for meaningful moral deliberation. Elke Schwarz, professor at Queen Mary University of London, argues that AI cannot replicate moral reasoning because it has no concept of the value of human life, suffering, or mourning.
Maven's actual error rate has not been disclosed, but the erroneous strike on the Minab school raises serious doubts about its reliability. Research suggests that delegating tasks to AI creates moral distance, making people more willing to engage in behavior they would otherwise avoid.
Source: www.aljazeera.com