In the coming years, methods of warfare in Ukraine and beyond will undergo paradigmatic changes as artificial intelligence systems are integrated into unified networks, which will accelerate decision-making on the battlefield.
In the coming years, methods of warfare in Ukraine and beyond will undergo paradigmatic changes as artificial intelligence systems are integrated into unified networks, which will accelerate decision-making on the battlefield.
This was stated by Danylo Tsvok, head of the Defense AI Center "A1" of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, in an interview with Reuters.
Ukraine is already using AI for a variety of tasks on the frontline — from guiding drones to helping plan combat operations and analyzing data on Russian missile strikes.
"AI will form a new paradigm of warfare. It is already actively doing so," Danylo Tsvok told Reuters.
According to his predictions, AI systems will eventually be combined into a single network that will control the battlefield, and this — if the conflict continues — will lead to an “operating systems war” with Russia in the next three to five years.
"The system that has more data, understands it better, and offers ready-made solutions will gain an advantage over the other," he noted.
The ability of drones to constantly monitor the battlefield and strike targets with high precision has accelerated the “defeat chain” — the process of planning and executing a strike on an enemy. According to Zwok, AI-powered decision-making will speed up this process even further.
Ukraine is already using artificial intelligence tools in its command systems.
However, according to Zwok, the main goal is to create a single operating system that would recommend battlefield solutions at all levels — from individual front-line units to strategic command.
This will significantly speed up the analysis of data coming from the 1,200-kilometer front line to provide appropriate recommendations to military commanders, he noted.
Tsvok added that the goal is to combine weapons and data systems into "a single living organism capable of acting in a coordinated manner."
Moscow is also developing its capabilities in the field of artificial intelligence.
“The question,” Zwok noted, “is how quickly we create our own solutions, how practically we apply them, and whether we achieve a primary effect on the battlefield from our side.”
He added that the Ministry of Defense is also developing an AI-based recruiting and HR system based on data management.
Ukraine works on the principle of mandatory human participation in the combat decision-making process, however, according to Tsvok, AI systems may eventually overtake humans, whose presence will then only slow down the process.
“And then the question arises: How do we keep up with the decisions that autonomous systems are making?” he said.
