Former Pentagon Official: Artificial Intelligence Raises Concerns for the U.S. Military

Miki Ouyang, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cybersecurity during the administration of former President Joe Biden, revealed that artificial intelligence has become an increasing source of concern within the U.S. Department of Defense (the Pentagon), amid its rapid development and use in military fields.

Ouyang stated in an interview with Politico magazine that artificial intelligence "raises fears within the ranks of the military," explaining that the concern is not limited to the potential use of advanced technologies by external adversaries against the United States, but also includes the risk of misuse from within the military institution itself.

She added: "We used to worry about enemies using technology against us, but we must also recognize that there are potential adversaries from within, and their access to artificial intelligence tools could pose a significant threat to national security."

This warning comes at a time when the Pentagon's reliance on artificial intelligence systems is increasing in areas including data analysis, strategic decision-making, and the development of autonomous weapons, or what are known as "killer robots" capable of selecting targets and executing attacks in a semi-autonomous manner.

Despite the potential benefits of these technologies in accelerating command and control operations, security and technology experts warn that excessive reliance on them could lead to catastrophic errors or decisions that are not subject to human oversight, especially in sensitive combat situations.