The US military leveraged Artificial Intelligence to pick targets in Iraq and in Syria this year

| March 1, 2024

This specific program has been in place since 2017 via Project Maven. Companies developed a program that leveraged Artificial Intelligence to identify targets based on inputs from information gathering sources. This program was used in airstrikes that targeted over 85 locations across Syria and Iraq. The surprise attack conducted by Hamas against Israel, on October 7, 2022, increased the urgency of using this system.

From The Register:

The US Department of Defense has deployed machine learning algorithms to identify targets in over 85 air strikes on targets in Iraq and Syria this year.

The Pentagon has done this sort of thing since at least 2017 when it launched Project Maven, which sought suppliers capable of developing object recognition software for footage captured by drones. Google pulled out of the project when its own employees revolted against using AI for warfare, but other tech firms have been happy to help out.

In 2017, Marine Corps Colonel Drew Cukor, Cukor said that the Pentagon hoped to integrate the software with the government platforms “by the end of the calendar year” to gather intelligence.

Now the US Central Command, operating in the Middle East, Central Asia, and some parts of South Asia, has used the algorithms to help carry out over 85 air strikes on February 2 across seven locations in Iraq and Syria.

Schuyler Moore, CTO for US Central Command, said that the military began deploying Project Maven’s computer vision systems in real campaigns after Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel last year.

“October 7 everything changed,” Moore told Bloomberg. “We immediately shifted into high gear and a much higher operational tempo than we had previously.

The object recognition algorithms are used to identify potential targets. Humans then operate weapons systems. The US has reportedly used the software to identify enemy rockets, missiles, drones, and militia facilities.

The Register as additional information here.

Category: Artificial Intelligence, Big Pentagon, GWOT

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Anonymous

Artificial stupidity (as if we didn’t have enough of the natural “woke” and regular varieties to go around already) more like it– I notice it didn’t conclude to target Iranians.

“This mission is too important for me to allow you to jeopardize it.” Damn, where’s HAL now that we need him?

Slow Joe

This type of AI’s job is to identify targets based on visual intel and other forms of signal intel. I guarantee you it identified Iran as the source of the materiel used in the current campaign in the Middle Beast.

And it was dismissed by the current administration.

Veritas Omnia Vincit

SKYNET here we come!

Full speed ahead and damn the Terminators.

26Limabeans

“identify targets based on inputs from information gathering sources”

Give me a call anytime and I will help identify targets for you.
It’s not that difficult.

KoB

Word! Did a little of that meself way back yonder in an MI Detachment. Maybe the AI is quicker at sorting the thousands (millions?) of bits of info from all of the multiple sources inputting data, but can the computer analyze trends and intentions like a hooman can?

Bring any and every weapon to bear. My robot can whip your robot.

SgtM

They had to use AI. The 5 sided clown show needs all the help it can get.

5JC

Yeah no kidding, Austin was busy lying to Congress yesterday.

https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-lloyd-austin-cancer-congress-testimony-biden-7d5832926ed4815994912b4f9ca36000

Thank goodness the AP does not fact check Democrats. Otherwise he’d be in trouble since the The deputy had no idea that he was in the hospital.

Mason

How that man still has a job is beyond me.

5JC

Pretty sure the attack took place in 2023.

Old tanker

So the D&D dice got too complicated for the puzzle palace??

5JC

If you only know how hard it was to read an actual 100-sided die.

Forest Bondurant

A lengthy read that some might find interesting…

AI Warfare Becomes Real for US Military With Project Maven (bloomberg.com)

5JC

Here’s the thing. A really good intelligence officer could probably out work AI and come up with better targets. However, how many of them are that good? I’m sure we’ve all run into some that were really good and some of them were freaking morons.

Last edited 9 months ago by 5JC
timactual

Yep. AI is just a computer program that tells the computer what to do, which is nothing more than a very very fast addition or shift of ones and zeros. A programmer writes that program. The program is only as capable as the programmer. If the programmer isn’t a good intelligence officer, the program won’t be, either.

On the other hand, an AI program doesn’t need feeding, medical care, VA benefits, and doesn’t write its congress critter.