Former Pentagon Official Raises Concerns Over Military Use of Artificial Intelligence

Miki Ouyang, the former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense for Cybersecurity during the Biden administration, has expressed increasing concerns about the role of artificial intelligence (AI) within the Department of Defense (DoD). In an interview with Politico, Ouyang stated that AI has become a source of anxiety among military personnel.

She noted that the apprehension is not solely about potential adversaries leveraging advanced technologies against the U.S., but also about the risks of misuse from within the military itself. "We used to worry about enemies using technology against us, but we must also acknowledge that there are potential threats from within, and access to AI tools could pose significant risks to national security," Ouyang said.

This warning comes as the Pentagon increases its reliance on AI systems in areas such as data analysis, strategic decision-making, and the development of autonomous weapons, often referred to as "killer robots," which can select targets and execute attacks with minimal human intervention.

While these technologies may enhance command and control operations, security and technology experts caution that over-reliance on AI could lead to catastrophic errors or decisions made without human oversight, particularly in sensitive combat situations.