The readings for this week describe the development of artificially intelligent systems by the CCP. James Johnson’s article, in particular, stands out as the author highlights how the CCP is connecting AI technology with autonomous weapon systems, such as UAVs. This strategy is not unique. The military powers in many developed nations are pursuing these capabilities in some form.
What is unique, in the case of the CCP, is the fusion of military and civil sectors to support geopolitical ambitions. For example, the digital arm of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which extends far outside of China’s borders—across Africa, South America, and Europe—benefits the CCP militarily and economically.
Written in July of this year, a Democratic staff report for the Committee on Foreign Relations illustrates CCP military-civil-fusion and the scope of their AI surveillance systems internationally. What is concerning here is the authoritarian nature of the CCP regime. Can we rationally deduce the AI system capabilities that China employs domestically will have different outcomes when similar AI systems are sold internationally?
This question extends far beyond telecommunication technologies, such as 5G.
As the line separating China’s military and economic ambition becomes increasingly blurred, How should U.S. executive leadership respond? It appears that contentious rhetoric is a favored answer. Whatever opinions you have about Donald Trump, it pays to listen to the official statements from the President of the United States.
During two recent White House press conferences, the first on Labor Day (listen from 10:40 to 11:13) and the other on September 10th, (listen from 18:23 to 18:44), the President mentioned U.S. nuclear weapons capabilities. Additionally, during a series of interviews with Bob Woodward, between December and July 2020, Trump spoke of U.S. secretive nuclear weapon systems. This is unusual for Trump’s rhetoric.
Why is President Trump mentioning U.S. nuclear weapons capabilities in recent White House Press press conferences and elsewhere?
Is Trump’s touting of U.S. nuclear weapons a response to the PLA’s increasing naval power, which now outpaces U.S. naval fleets in absolute numbers; or is he simply attempting to rally support from his base as we approach November 3rd?
An interesting post, Riley, though you bit off quite a bit. I certainly agree that China’s attempt to fuse AI with drone technology and with facial recognition are two potentially serious implications. The problem in China today is that there are no “checks & balances” in the system. This is the case for many reasons, including the fact that Xi Jinping appears to have totally consolidated power and is authority is unchallenged.
Of course, China is not the only country developing these technologies. the US is as well, and so are the Israelis. There are many questions, some of which we will discuss in class, about so-called “man in the loop” vs. “man out of the loop” systems now made possible by AI. In my personal opinion, I think the latter are extremely dangerous.
As for the motives or rationale behind the president’s recent blurt about the US having a new nuclear weapon, I couldn’t begin to know what he’s talking about–and I rather doubt that he knows himself. There are strict treaty limitations regarding any effort by a signatory party to expand or alter its nuclear stockpile. Also, by doing so the state party invites competitors to respond by doing likewise. This means that the president, by revealing the existence of this new weapon simply invites the Russians, the Chinese and others to seek a similar capability.
–Profes sor Wallerstein