#24 The New Face of Conflict — AI in Warfare
An interview with COL ANTAL
In episode #24 of the Post Mortem podcast, we dive deep into the impact of artificial intelligence in modern warfare with retired Colonel John Antal. With over 30 years of experience in the US Army and a prolific career as an author and software industry expert, COL Antal shares his insights into the future of warfare.
We explore the concept of decision dominance in the digital age, discussing the nuances of data & AI applications in military strategy, from ‘man in the loop’ to ‘man out of the loop’ systems. COL Antal breaks down the complexities of AI, explaining the progression from Artificial Narrow Intelligence (ANI) to the potential of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and the concept of Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI).
The conversation shifts to the practical implications of AI in military operations, highlighting the evolution from traditional kill chains to AI-enabled kill webs. COL Antal emphasizes the speed and precision that AI brings to the battlefield, enabling split-second decisions that could tip the scales in modern conflicts.
We also touch on the lessons learned from recent wars, the Russian/Ukraine war, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Israel/Hamas war, and the importance of continuous adaptation and learning in the face of rapidly advancing technologies.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of technology and military strategy, offering a thought-provoking discussion on how AI systems are reshaping the art of war.
Bibliography
Below are some of the resources used to prepare for this episode and mentioned in it :
- Lessons of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, US Army Fires Conference, accessed January 2023, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLq4WJMl7Zc
- John Antal presentation at the Manoeuvre Warfighter Conference (MWFC), accessed September 14, 2022, at https://youtu.be/EOrc4x-DlmI
- Testimony of Christian Brose. To the House Armed Services Committee. Subcommittee on Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation. The Future of War: Is the Pentagon Prepared to Deter and Defeat America’s Adversaries. Feb. 2023. https://armedservices.house.gov/sites/republicans.armedservices.house.gov/files/Brose Written Testimony.pdf
- ANTAL, J. (2023). Artificial Intelligence and the Accelerating Tempo of War. Retrieved Jan 7 2024, from https://www.schumer.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/John%20Antal%20-%20Statement.pdf US Senate AI Symposium.
- Next War: Reimagining How We Fight, 2023, John F Antal, https://www.amazon.com/Next-War-Reimagining-How-Fight/dp/1636243355
- Aerorozvidka NGO, Unmanned aerial vehicles, situational awareness, cybersecurity https://aerorozvidka.ngo/
- Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nagorno-Karabakh_conflict&oldid=1198631897 (last visited Jan. 28, 2024).
- ‘The Gospel’: how Israel uses AI to select bombing targets in Gaza, The Guardian, Dec 1 2023, Retrieved Feb 2 2024, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/01/the-gospel-how-israel-uses-ai-to-select-bombing-targets
- Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2), United States DoD, https://media.defense.gov/2022/Mar/17/2002958406/-1/-1/1/SUMMARY-OF-THE-JOINT-ALL-DOMAIN-COMMAND-AND-CONTROL-STRATEGY.PDF
- Haut-Karabagh : dix enseignements d’un conflit qui nous concerne, Rapport d’information n° 754 (2020–2021), déposé le 7 juillet 2021, https://www.senat.fr/rap/r20-754/r20-754_mono.html#toc167
- Compte rendu Commission de la défense nationale et des forces armées, Audition, à huis clos, de M. le général d’armée Thierry Burkhard, chef d’état-major de l’armée de Terre sur l’actualisation de la LPM 2019–2025, page 14, https://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/dyn/15/comptes-rendus/cion_def/l15cion_def2021068_compte-rendu.pdf
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