UK must 'exploit' AI opportunities whilst remaining morally sound, top military chief says

The UK must be willing to exploit opportunities and advantages that come through the use of artificial intelligence (AI) while not jeopardising morales, one of the UK's top military chiefs has said.

In an exclusive interview with Forces News, the Commander of Strategic Command, General Sir Jim Hockenhull, gave a rare insight into the secretive Strategic Command organisation and highlighted how important AI's role is. 

The general stressed the benefits of AI in helping analysts identify targets, specifically in terms of 'pace and accuracy', adding that "it's also helping us in terms of moving our analytical capabilities up the value chain".

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However, General Hockenhull did highlight that with the benefits of AI, there are also evident dangers that must be kept in check.

One of the potential risks he stressed is "others seeking to use AI in ways to affect our capabilities".

"We need to both be able to be willing to exploit opportunities and advantages which come through AI, this isn't limited to the military sphere, we are going to see this in every element of our lives," he added.

Risks

"We need to guard against those risks," Gen Hockenhull said.

These risks, he believes, are primarily focused on both the risks posed by adversaries using capabilities enhanced by AI or other advanced technologies.

Also, he stressed the need to "understand how AI is working".

"We make decisions which could involve people being killed. If you're making those decisions, you need surety that you're making those decisions accurately and properly.

"Therefore, it's important that when we bring AI into those decision-making chains, that we understand how the AI is working and what the AI is doing in that sense.

"For us, there is an important element of the moral and ethical use of AI. It is fundamentally important to what we do. We are a moral organisation."

He added: "We want to make sure we are acting in an appropriate and proportionate manner."