Artificial intelligence is no longer just helping to analyze data — it's heading straight for nuclear missiles. And the experts gathered at a conference in Chicago in July 2025, including Nobel laureates and leading nuclear safety experts, say the same thing: AI control over nuclear systems is not if, but when.
As Bob Latiff, a retired major general in the US Air Force and a member of the Science and Security Council of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, said at the meeting.:
"It's like electricity — it gets into everything."
And he's right. Already today, the nuclear arsenals of the leading powers are using early forms of AI and automation. The machines analyze satellite images, track the movements of enemy submarines, process radio signals and help commanders make decisions. This is necessary because the amount of data has become so huge that a person simply does not have time to process everything. Plus— AI, in theory, does not panic, does not get tired and does not make decisions under the pressure of emotions.
But that's where the most dangerous part begins.
What if the algorithm makes a mistake? What if he mistakes an ordinary weather balloon for a rocket or a supersonic plane for the beginning of a massive strike? In conditions of nuclear deterrence, where a decision must be made in minutes, one AI mistake can lead to a nuclear response — and without the possibility of cancellation. This is not fiction. This is a real risk, especially if the systems are implemented in pursuit of speed rather than reliability.
Right now, the AI is not pressing the start button yet. The person remains in the decision-making chain. But more and more functions, from threat detection to goal prioritization, are being transferred to machines. And experts are sounding the alarm: if we don't stop in time, we may find ourselves in a situation where a person will simply sign what the AI has already decided.
Therefore, the main slogan of the conference is "man must remain at the center of the solution." It is necessary to maintain human control at all key stages. And this means abandoning the practice of "warning launch", when missiles launch even before the impact is confirmed. It is necessary to give more time for analysis in order to avoid a disaster due to a false alarm.
In addition, it is required:
- Transparency in how algorithms work.
- Training for operators so that they understand when the AI is lying.
- International rules — agreements on how and where AI can be used in nuclear systems.
Because the problem is not only in technology. It's also about speed. Modern conflicts are moving faster: drones, cyber attacks, autonomous systems. AI accelerates everything from detection to response. And this, combined with misinformation and panic, can lead to an unintended escalation — when one mistake leads to another, and as a result, the world finds itself on the verge of nuclear winter.
So yes, AI can make weapon control more accurate and safer. But without strict supervision, ethics, and international cooperation, it is equally likely to be the trigger.
As Latiff said, he will enter into everything. The task of humanity is to prevent it from entering a place where it cannot be mistaken.
No comments:
Post a Comment