A United Nations report has flagged the danger posed by artificial intelligence in the hands of rogue states and terrorist groups. New technologies are often repurposed for violence shortly after their invention. Today’s threat landscape is much different than 20 years ago, or even five years ago, thanks to advancements in artificial intelligence.
Driverless cars powered by artificial intelligence are becoming increasingly available for commercial and personal use. Drones fitted with weapons could be made even more dangerous by surgical guidance or facial recognition technology.
Experts at the United Nations developed a report on the potential crises brought on by self-driving vehicles, AI-powered drones, and other misappropriations of smart technology by terrorist groups.
Vehicles have been used in fatal terrorist attacks around the world. Self-driving cars represent a disturbing opportunity for terrorists to “carry out one of their most traditional types of attacks remotely, without the need for a follower to sacrifice his or her life or risk being apprehended,” the UN’s 2021 report explains.
The text notes that self-driving vehicles could be affixed with explosives and set for a specific location like a missile on wheels. Self-driving cars are thought to have safeguards that will prevent the vehicle from colliding with structures or pedestrians, but recent studies reveal that self-driving cars have been involved in almost 400 accidents of varying seriousness. Terrorists could take advantage of the still-young technology and a society that may be unprepared for the threat.
United Nations analysts note that self-driving vehicles are not limited to cars. Drones are widely available for purchase and even inexpensive flying bots can be controlled by a remote operator miles away. The Washington Post flagged literature authored by terrorists that celebrated drones as “a new source of horror”.
However, the UN writes that “the malicious use of drones by terrorist groups for attacks can be considered a growing, although not yet a major threat.” Once fitted with AI capabilities, a drone can be a much more lethal device.
“The integration of facial recognition technology would certainly be a game-changer in this regard though, significantly enhancing the level of the threat of drones and enabling very targeted attacks.”
Author and futurist Max Tegmark warned that for terrorists to carry out an assassination, “all they need to do is upload their target’s photo and address into the killer robot: it can then fly to the destination, identify and eliminate the person, and self-destruct to ensure nobody knows who was responsible.” (TheSun)
