A recent analysis in the People’s Liberation Army Newspaper in China has revealed the potential usage of artificial intelligence (AI) technology developed by OpenAI, called ChatGPT, as an effective tool for the Chinese military. The article, by Mao Weihao – a lecturer at the Command College – provides insight into how ChatGPT software may be able to further enhance the effectiveness of China’s armed forces.
ChatGPT could be used in the military both during peacetime and wartime. Mao suggests in his analysis that during peacetime, AI could be used to analyse masses of data from the internet, enabling faster and more effective information gathering. In combat, AI could be used as a cognitive warfare tool to analyse public opinion and potentially manipulate it to a degree.
Mao also highlights some of the weaknesses of AI technology, suggesting that human innovation could hypothetically provide the necessary edge over AI technology. For instance, a research from KU Leuven University in Belgium found AI technology had difficulty identifying humans wearing a specific A4-sized colour pattern.
OpenAI was founded in 2015 by US tech entrepreneur Elon Musk and is a technology company whose primary focus is on advancing artificial general intelligence (AGI). Its creation of ChatGPT has gained recognition in past years, as it is seen as a significant advancement in the field of AI technology. This development has also inspired other internet tech companies to create their own versions.
At present, ChatGPT is not available in the mainland of China or Hong Kong, however, academics and students have already begun to recognize the potential of this AI technology. As it stands now, further discussion and research must occur before ChatGPT is fully incorporated into the country’s military.
In conclusion, the suggestion that China’s military could use ChatGPT as a tool to further enhance its effectiveness has sparked debate and raised questions about the implications of AI technology for the country’s armed forces. The potential of ChatGPT must be fully explored before it is available to the military, however, its potential to enable faster and more effective information gathering, while perhaps providing an advantage in cognitive warfare, is certainly worth exploring.
