AI Ethics
Summary
The United States military has reportedly used artificial intelligence tools, including Claude, during its large-scale strikes on Iran, where more than 2,000 targets have been hit using bombs, cruise missiles, and drones. Although the exact role of AI is unclear, experts believe it helps analyse satellite imagery, process battlefield data, and assess damage from attacks. The use of civilian-developed AI technologies in warfare has sparked ethical concerns, especially after tensions arose between the US government and Anthropic over restrictions on how its technology should be used. As militaries worldwide increasingly adopt AI, such as autonomous drones in Ukraine and AI-driven targeting systems used by Israel, the rapid development of these technologies has outpaced international regulation. This has raised concerns about accountability, potential errors, and the risk of machines influencing life-and-death decisions.
Application
When artificial intelligence becomes involved in life-and-death decisions on the battlefield, it risks diluting the sense of moral responsibility that traditionally accompanies warfare. In conventional war, human commanders decide whom to target and how to attack; they must confront the ethical consequences of those choices. However, when machines analyse targets or recommend strikes, the chain of responsibility becomes blurred, allowing humans to distance themselves from the outcomes of violence. The burden of blame subtly shifts from decision-makers to algorithms, creating psychological distance between those who order attacks and the lives affected by them. As a result, warfare can become sanitised into a technical process. This detachment may desensitise societies to the human cost of conflict, making casualties appear abstract rather than tragic. In the long run, such technological mediation risks lowering the moral barriers to war, increasing the likelihood that force will be used.