Cold War 2 fears: Artificial intelligence the ‘weapon of choice’ in fresh global arms race

Jeremy Straub – an assistant professor at North Dakota State University – believes that despite the US and Russia decommissioning thousands of nuclear weapons, artificial intelligence (AI) could be a new threat – and he is not alone.

He added: “Now, more than 30 years after the end of the Cold War, the US and Russia have decommissioned tens of thousands of nuclear weapons.

“However, tensions are growing. Any modern-day cold war would include cyberattacks and nuclear powers’ involvement in allies’ conflicts. It’s already happening.”

While the world has various nuclear weapons treaties, Mr Staub claims “cyber weapons particularly those powered by AI, are still considered fair game by both sides”.

AI systems also have “rapid decision-making capabilities” that are “faster than humans can comprehend”.

Mr Straub, writing for The Conservation, said: “In case of an attack, the AI could act more quickly and without the potential hesitation or dissent of a human operator.

“A fast, automated response capability could help ensure potential adversaries know a nation is ready and willing to launch, the key to mutual assured destruction‘s effectiveness as a deterrent.

“AI can also be used to control non-nuclear weapons including unmanned vehicles like drones and cyber weapons.

“AI-coordinated attacks can launch cyber or real-world weapons almost instantly, making the decision to attack before a human even notices a reason to. AI systems can change targets and techniques faster than humans can comprehend, much less analyse.

“For instance, an AI system might launch a drone to attack a factory, observe drones responding to defend, and launch a cyberattack on those drones, with no noticeable pause.”

He added: “As artificial intelligence software develops, it will be able to make decisions based on more data, and more quickly than humans can handle.

“As someone who researches the use of AI for applications as diverse as drones, self-driving vehicles, and cybersecurity, I worry that the world may be entering – or perhaps already in – another cold war, fuelled by AI.

“I’m not alone.”

He compares the current pursuit for “the technological upper hand” to space and weapons race during the Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union.

Russia’s focus on the importance of artificial intelligence is picking up, according to Mr Straub.

Last year, Vladimir Putin suggested AI could be the key to Russia beating the US with a smaller military budget.

Speaking to his new Strategic Missile Academy just outside of Moscow, the Russian President said: “Russia must be among the leaders – and in some areas the absolute leader – in creating an army of the new generation, an army of a new technological paradigm.

“We have to be smart. We will not rely solely on military muscle.”

China is also said to be on the brink major discovery after Beijing announced a £1.5 billion research park dedicated to artificial intelligence.

A Pentagon report last year warned China was investing in US start-ups in an attempt to piggy-back on American development.

Meanwhile, a venture capitalist Jim Breyer also warned of China’s AI acceleration.

He said: “You have two remarkable, large, innovative countries, hiring, promoting, in many cases the best AI talent. And that leads to many opportunities for entrepreneurs.

“It is astounding what we’re seeing in terms of AI technology being applied to large verticals in China.”

The news comes after Dr Paul Miller, who served on the US’s National Security Council (NSC) under former presidents George W Bush and Barack Obama, exclusively told the Express.co.uk that the rivalry and suspicion sparked during the Cold War did not stop.

Dr Miller told the Express.co.uk: “The Cold War was just the continuation of normal great power rivalry and suspicion under the unique conditions of bipolarity and stark ideological rivalry.

“Today there are more great powers, so we have a multipolar rather than bipolar competition. The ideological rivalry has shifted from communism against capitalism to a new contest between authoritarian capitalism against liberal democratic capitalism.

“There is far more trade between and among the great powers than there was during the Cold War, making all powers more hesitant to risk economically catastrophic conflict. But it also means we are less able to ignore one another or isolate ourselves from one another.”

The former national security advisor also revealed how the next all out war could escalate – beginning with cyber and anti-satellite tactics by the aggressor nation.