Israel quietly embeds AI systems in deadly military operations

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Though the military won’t comment on specific operations, officials say that it now uses an AI recommendation system that can crunch huge amounts of data to select targets for air strikes. Ensuing raids can then be rapidly assembled with another AI model called Fire Factory, which uses data about military-approved targets to calculate munition loads, prioritize and assign thousands of targets to aircraft and drones, and propose a schedule.

While both systems are overseen by human operators who vet and approve individual targets and air raid plans, according to an IDF official, the technology is still not subject to any international or state-level regulation. Proponents argue that the advanced algorithms may surpass human capabilities and could help the military minimize casualties, while critics warn of the potentially deadly consequences of relying on increasingly autonomous systems.

“If there is a mistake in the calculation of the AI, and if the AI is not explainable, then who do we blame for the mistake?” said Tal Mimran, a lecturer of international law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and former legal counsel for the army. “You can wipe out an entire family based on a mistake.” Details of the army’s operational use of AI remain largely classified, yet statements from military officials suggest that the IDF has gained battlefield experience with the controversial systems through periodic flareups in the Gaza Strip, where Israel frequently carries out air strikes in response to rocket attacks.

In 2021, the IDF described the 11-day conflict in Gaza as the world’s first “AI war,” citing its use of artificial intelligence to identify rocket launchpads and deploy drone swarms. Israel also conducts raids in Syria and