Israel's Military Uses AI Targeting System in Warfare

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in warfare has reached a new phase, as Israel’s military claims to be using an AI targeting system called “the Gospel” to rapidly identify enemy combatants and equipment in real-time. While the Israeli military argues that the use of AI helps reduce civilian casualties, critics are concerned about the reliability and potential biases of the system. Experts caution that AI algorithms can have high error rates and are not foolproof when it comes to targeting humans on the battlefield. Despite these concerns, the use of AI in warfare is likely to continue to grow, as it allows militaries to sift through vast amounts of intelligence data at a much faster rate than human analysts.

The Gospel is one of several AI programs being used by Israeli intelligence, developed by Israel’s signals intelligence branch, Unit 8200. It can generate targets at a rapid rate, far surpassing what human analysts can achieve. The system aggregates data from various sources, including cell phone messages, satellite imagery, drone footage, and seismic sensors, to make targeting recommendations to human analysts. During the recent conflict between Israel and militant groups in Gaza, the Gospel was used to identify both static and moving targets, suggesting around 200 targets for strikes.

However, the Gospel has faced challenges. Its training data was biased because the Israeli military did not collect data on objects that human analysts had discarded as non-targets. As a result, there are concerns that the system may be misidentifying targets. Moreover, the sheer volume of targets being generated puts pressure on human reviewers, potentially leading to a reliance on the AI system’s recommendations without critical judgment.

Critics question whether the AI system is performing as advertised. They argue that AI systems depend on training data and statistical correlations, which can result in high error rates and indiscriminate targeting. Some even allege that the system is being used to manufacture targets in order to maintain a high rate of bombardment in Gaza. The toll on Palestinian civilians has been significant, with thousands of deaths and extensive damage to infrastructure.

Despite these criticisms, the use of AI in warfare is likely to continue and expand. Militaries around the world have been experimenting with AI for over a decade, as shrinking military sizes require technological solutions to bridge the gap. The United States and other nations are also actively utilizing AI to assist in intelligence analysis and identify targets in the field. The development of AI targeting algorithms is seen as an intermediate step towards the deployment of autonomous systems on the battlefield, which could identify and engage targets without human intervention.

While the use of AI in warfare offers advantages in terms of speed and efficiency, it also raises important ethical questions and challenges regarding accountability. The lack of explainability of AI decisions and the complexity of the models make it difficult to trace responsibility for targeting decisions. As the use of AI in warfare progresses, it is crucial to consider not only the technological advances but also the ethical implications and the potential consequences for civilian populations.

In the future, combat may involve human teams augmented by lethal autonomous systems, leading to faster and deadlier battles. However, the nature of war itself is unlikely to change. As Professor Anthony King suggests, “Human combat teams augmented by really lethal weapons to fight these hideous kinds of medieval fights, that’s where I see warfare going.” As AI continues to shape the landscape of warfare, it is essential to address the ethical dilemmas and establish responsible frameworks to ensure the protection of civilian lives and minimize harm.