AI-based warfare in the 'agentic' age & energy as a big constraining factor

EVEN BEFORE CHINA'S DeepSeek model triggered a frenzy in the AI (artificial intelligence) world, its People's Liberation Army had started to deploy AI across its major warfighting functions under a somewhat gawky banner called "intelligentised warfare".

- ANIL SASI

Beijing is learnt to be taking a graded approach by starting with applying AI to improve the performance of battlefield equipment such as artillery systems by cutting the interval needed between each shot while improving accuracy, as well as integrating generative AI with military drones to automatically target opponents' radars with better precision as soon as they come on.

The DeepSeek advances could only help China build on its military AI diffusions.

Should that be a cause for worry for India? Yes, say experts, considering that the Chinese are actively aiding Pakistan with its Centre of Artificial Intelligence and Computing of the Pakistan Air Force that was established in 2020, which now has an elaborate Cognitive Electronic Warfare programme aiming to use AI and machine learning for "effective analytical and tactical decision-making".