Description

By (author) Johnson James

Short /annotation:
This book addresses the largely neglected question of how the fusion of machines into the war machine will affect the human condition of warfare. It emphasizes the “mind” and the mechanisms of thought (intelligence, consciousness, emotion, memory, experience, etc.) to consider the effects of AI and autonomy on the human condition of war.

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What does AI mean for the role of humans in war? The AI Commander addresses the largely neglected question of how the fusion of machines into the war machine will affect the human condition of warfare. James Johnson emphasizes the “mind” – both human and machine – and the mechanisms of thought (intelligence, consciousness, emotion, memory, experience, etc.) to consider the effects of AI and autonomy on the human condition of war. Johnson investigates the vexing and misunderstood – and at times contradictory – ethical, moral, and normative implications, whether incremental, transformative, or revolutionary, of synthesizing man and machine in future algorithmic warfare – or AI-enabled centaur warfighting. At the heart of these vexing questions are whether we are inevitably moving toward a situation in which AI-enabled autonomous weapons will make strategic decisions in place of humans and thus become the owners of those decisions. Can AI-powered systems replace human commanders? And, more importantly, should they? The AI Commander argues that AI cannot be merely passive and neutral force multipliers of human cognition. Instead, they will likely become – either by conscious choice or inadvertently – strategic actors in war. AI will transform the role and nature of human warfare, but not necessarily in the ways most observers expect.

Table of contents:
Introduction: AI-enabled “centaur warfighting”1: The AI commander problem2: Anthropomorphizing AI in centaur teaming3: Tactical generals and strategic corporals4: Brinkmanship in algorithmic warfare5: Thinking forward with counterfactualsConclusion: No magic bulletsAppendicesSelected bibliographyIndex

Review quote:
James Johnson has produced an excellent study of how rapid technological change is transforming the role of human commanders in warfare. Amongst all the hype surrounding Artificial Intelligence, this book makes a sophisticated, thoughtful, and balanced contribution to our understanding of the ethical, moral, and operational nature of the future battlespace. This book will be a must-read for all those interested in how we can understand – and survive – a strategic world Increasingly defined by the complex relationship between humans and machines.

Review quote:
In this intellectually invigorating work, James Johnson provides some very interesting insights into AI-enabled warfighting. With its primary focus on psychological facets of human-AI teaming, the book addresses several rarely explored themes, such as the ethical and moral implications of AI-anthropomorphism, the closely related inverse phenomenon of dehumanizing warfare, and the complex impact of AI-powered decision-making on nuclear deterrence and brinkmanship. Creatively framed scenarios provide interesting operational backdrops for an intense and illuminating analysis. A must read for policy makers, military strategists, and researchers in the field of responsible military AI.

Review quote:
James Johnson”s The AI Commander is an essential addition to the discourse on AI and national security. Johnson advances a timely and compelling analysis of the opportunities and risks of AI for national security. He offers masterful insights on human-machine integration and the ethical-political dilemmas of AI-enabled warfare. Johnson provides a vitally important exploration of AI”s potential role in nuclear deterrence and risk analysis, with an insightful examination of how AI might be used to develop counterfactua