AI could lead to a nuclear war by 2040, US think-tank warns
AI in the future could encourage human actors to make catastrophic decisions, researchers at the non-profit Rand Corporation say
By Ryan Browne
Artificial intelligence (AI) could potentially result in a nuclear war by 2040, according to a research paper by a US think-tank.
While peace has been maintained for decades due to the notion that any nuclear attack could trigger mutually assured destruction, the potential for AI and machine-learning to decide military actions could mean that the assurance of stability breaks down, RAND researchers warned.
The researchers, who based their paper on a series of workshops with experts, said that AI in the future could encourage human actors to make catastrophic decisions. Improvements in sensory technology, for instance, could result in the destruction of retaliatory forces like submarine and mobile missiles.
AI could also tempt nations to launch a pre-emptive strike against another nation to gain bargaining power, even if they have no intention of carrying out an attack, researchers said.