Leuven, Belgium — The 1st REMIT Conference — An expert on digital technologies emphasized that ethics is not a hindrance but a crucial component in national defense, particularly amidst the digital transformation fueled by artificial intelligence technologies.
Mariarosaria Taddeo, a professor of digital ethics and defense technologies at the University of Oxford, highlighted that AI represents the most significant aspect of the ongoing transformation in digital warfare. She pointed out that AI technologies hold potential across various facets of defense operations, ranging from resource management to tactical decision-making. These insights were shared during a keynote speech at the inaugural Reignite Multilateralism via Technology (REMIT) conference on May 16.
Taddeo, who also holds a fellowship at the Alan Turing Institute, explained that these applications could engender ethical challenges. Drawing parallels with AI applications in other sectors like finance, healthcare, and education, the expert pointed out that there exists the potential for risks related to transparency and robustness when employing AI for defense. The professor particularly emphasized that in defense, additional considerations arise due to the potential for kinetic uses—in other words, those that involve direct physical impact or harm, such as military strikes—that could result in the destruction and detriment of individuals’ lives, thereby compromising human rights and dignity.
The professor emphasized the significance of ethics, highlighting that they play a crucial role not only in setting boundaries but also in enabling individuals and entities guided by them to navigate opportunities and risks. Ethics, as elucidated by the professor, act as guides, steering countries in determining the course of action regarding the development and promotion of AI applications in defense, or alternatively, whether they should be subjected to regulation or even discontinued altogether.
Taddeo stressed that ethics, much like a nurturing parent, also imparts valuable wisdom. While some individuals may perceive parental guidance as restrictive, the professor highlighted that it is through these boundaries that individuals learn and grow. Just as a wise parent encourages their child to explore and learn from experiences, ethics fosters an environment of exploration and growth in decision-making processes. Therefore, instead of being solely restrictive, ethics plays a crucial role in nurturing responsible and thoughtful actions.
The professor directly addressed concerns raised by defense practitioners critical of the necessity of ethics. These individuals argue that ethical considerations compromise a nation’s defense capabilities, asserting that deploying AI unrestricted by such fetters could potentially enhance defense security, effectiveness, and efficiency. More concerning, they contend that adhering to ethical principles might provide adversaries with an advantage, granting them additional time and freedom to exploit opportunities, as they are not constrained by such considerations. This perceived edge, they suggest, could lead to serious consequences for nations committing themselves to be guided by ethical concerns.
Championing the paramount importance of ethics in AI for defense in opposition to such skeptics, Taddeo described ethics as being both pivotal and essential. The expert emphasized, “Ethics in AI for defense ensures that we deploy this technology in accordance with the values that our defense forces are committed to upholding. If we compromise on those values from the outset, we might as well admit defeat because we would already be operating according to the unethical principles embraced by our adversaries—principles which we fundamentally oppose.”
