The Military Use of AI: Challenges and Opportunities for Taiwan

Increasing cross-strait tensions between mainland China and Taiwan suggest the need for the latter to take a fresh look at the advantages offered by new defence approaches. With a defence budget vastly outpaced by China, Taiwan’s Overall Defense Concept recognises a need to look to cutting-edge technologies to offset scale imbalances. This paper examines the challenges and opportunities Taiwan will need to consider for the military application of one such emerging technology: AI.

Key challenges in the use of AI include: data-security concerns; ethical implications of autonomous weapons; unpredictability and unreliability of systems; high costs of implementation and maintenance; potential for increased use of armed force; issues of accountability and responsibility; risks associated with deepfake technology; and the danger of over-reliance on AI systems leading to a loss of traditional human military skills.

In terms of opportunities, the paper discusses the potential benefits of AI in enhancing situational awareness, improving command-and-control capabilities, and enabling advanced simulations for military training and strategy development. AI-powered systems can process vast amounts of data quickly, providing comprehensive battlefield intelligence and enabling faster, more accurate decision-making.

The paper emphasises the importance of carefully considering ethical, security and operational factors when integrating AI into Taiwan’s defence strategy. It suggests that effective use of AI could serve as a force multiplier for Taiwan’s military, potentially helping to offset China’s numerical and resource advantages.

The research underscores the potential of AI to significantly enhance Taiwan’s defence capabilities, while also cautioning about the risks and challenges associated with its implementation. The paper advocates for a balanced approach that maximises the benefits of AI in military applications while mitigating potential drawbacks and ethical concerns.