Deep in the Pentagon, a Secret AI Program to Anticipate the Launch of Nuclear Missiles

June 5th, 2018

First, we take some W.O.P.R.

Next, we stir in a pinch of SkyNet

And then…

Via: Reuters:

The U.S. military is increasing spending on a secret research effort to use artificial intelligence to help anticipate the launch of a nuclear-capable missile, as well as track and target mobile launchers in North Korea and elsewhere.

The effort has gone largely unreported, and the few publicly available details about it are buried under a layer of near impenetrable jargon in the latest Pentagon budget. But U.S. officials familiar with the research told Reuters there are multiple classified programs now under way to explore how to develop AI-driven systems to better protect the United States against a potential nuclear missile strike.

If the research is successful, such computer systems would be able to think for themselves, scouring huge amounts of data, including satellite imagery, with a speed and accuracy beyond the capability of humans, to look for signs of preparations for a missile launch, according to more than half a dozen sources. The sources included U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the research is classified.

Forewarned, the U.S. government would be able to pursue diplomatic options or, in the case of an imminent attack, the military would have more time to try to destroy the missiles before they were launched, or try to intercept them.

One Response to “Deep in the Pentagon, a Secret AI Program to Anticipate the Launch of Nuclear Missiles”

  1. Dennis says:

    Maybe a pinch of human error/equipment malfunction/data misinterpretation. Reminds me of these:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanislav_Petrov

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_rocket_incident#Prior_notification

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6bN_T92SYY
    (At the beginning, note envelope at top of pile from Andøya Space Centre.)

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