War Elephants: Rethinking Combat AI and Human Oversight

TL;DR

This paper proposes a complementary human-AI team approach for managing autonomous weapons, emphasizing ethical, flexible, and dynamic control to improve battlefield performance and oversight.

Contribution

It introduces a novel framework combining human and AI operators for managing lethal autonomous systems based on principles of complementation.

Findings

Enhanced ethical oversight through human-AI teaming

Improved adaptability in dynamic battlefield conditions

Potential for more responsible autonomous weapon operation

Abstract

This paper explores the changes that pervasive AI is having on the nature of combat. We look beyond the substitution of AI for experts to an approach where complementary human and machine abilities are blended. Using historical and modern examples, we show how autonomous weapons systems can be effectively managed by teams of human "AI Operators" combined with AI/ML "Proxy Operators." By basing our approach on the principles of complementation, we provide for a flexible and dynamic approach to managing lethal autonomous systems. We conclude by presenting a path to achieving an integrated vision of machine-speed combat where the battlefield AI is operated by AI Operators that watch for patterns of behavior within battlefield to assess the performance of lethal autonomous systems. This approach enables the development of combat systems that are likely to be more ethical, operate at machine speed, and are capable of responding to a broader range of dynamic battlefield conditions than any purely autonomous AI system could support.