AI In The Line Of Fire: Rethinking Ethics In The Face Of Nuclear Threats

Decision-making regarding target engagement, including considerations for scenarios involving the tactical use of nuclear weapons, requires a multilayered, well-structured, predictable, and traceable approach. The integration of AI into such high-stakes scenarios amplifies the need for transparency, aligning decision-making models to trusted tenets and focused training (the 3Ts) in order to avoid the five cognitive pitfalls of overreliance, information overload, groupthink, misperception, and unrecognised systemic bias. For AI to be effectively integrated into Nuclear Command, Control and Communication (NC3) networks, decision makers delegated target engagement authority must have a clear understanding of the capabilities and limitations of the AI system, just as they understand the capabilities and limitations of their other team members. AI is not something to be feared, but it should be approached with a degree of healthy scepticism. The 3T framework provides a useful heuristic for ensuring proper integration and use of AI-enabled NC3 systems and decision-making processes.