Could AI Launch Nuclear Weapons? Destroy Civilization As We Know It?

Katherine Owens, Fellow, Center for Military Modernization

The Paradoxes of Nuclear Weapons and Artificial Intelligence

Over the past year, the latest developments in artificial intelligence (AI) have led to a surge of ominous comparisons between AI and nuclear weapons. However, comparing the rise of AI technology to that of nuclear weapons misses the point. AI’s true impact on military capability and global security will be determined by its convergence with nuclear technology.

To be clear, AI bots are not going anywhere near the nuclear launch buttons. This was articulated in the recommendations of the National Security Commission on AI formed in 2019 and the 2022 Department of Defense Nuclear Posture Review, and re-affirmed in the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2024. Several senators recently introduced the Block Nuclear Launch by Autonomous Artificial Intelligence Act to ensure this policy is codified in the law.

This does not mean that military technology and AI technology are being kept separate. To the contrary, military officials, researchers, and defense industry leaders are planning for AI’s increasing role in the military and in weapons systems, even nuclear ones.

So, what does this role look like now and how will it grow?

The two main areas where AI fits into military systems are: 1) Command, control, communications (C3) systems and 2) Strategic security and wargame simulations. These two categories have already seen AI enhancements and are the primary focus of further integration.

AI’s Role in NC3 Systems and Strategic Simulations