“The Russian military seeks to be a leader in weaponising artificial intelligence AI technology,” JAIC director Lt. Gen. Michael Groen recently told National Defence.

Groen referred to CNA’s report titled “Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy in Russia”. According to its website CNA is “a non-profit research and analysis organisation located in Arlington, VA.” The report details more than 150 AI-enabled military systems at various development points in Russia, including autonomous land, sea, air, space, and cyber platforms. The report read, “Similar to AI, Russia is not a leader in AI research, but it certainly has the potential for being a global leader in AI- weaponisation.”

The goal of these platforms is “information dominance on the battlefield,” according to Groen, something the agency considers a potential threat to America and its allies. “Russia was not a major leader in the development of the internet or computer networking, but Russia has become a leader in weaponising those technologies for advanced cyberattacks and cybercrime capabilities,” Groen noted.

According to Gen. John Hyten of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Moscow has recently accelerated its big data, software, and artificial intelligence investments.

The country has rapidly accelerated development in areas such as cyberspace, next-gen nuclear weapons, and space, he explained at a June Defence Department AI Symposium. Enhanced AI systems feature prominently in this multi-pronged military approach.

“Russia is a significant threat, especially in the near term,” he said. “It is a challenge to not just keep up with them but stay ahead of them.”