Deceptive AI Machines on the Battlefield: Do They Challenge the Rules of the Law of Armed Conflict on Military Deception?

Abstract

Over the ages, deception has been a traditional and crucial instrument for conducting warfare. However, military deception is not always acceptable. The Law of Armed Conflict distinguishes it in two categories, “Ruses of War” which refer to acts of deception that any commander can use to confuse the enemy regarding the military situation, and “Perfidy”, which refers in essence to outright treachery or the breach of good faith and is considered to be a war-crime. Machines of Artificial Intelligence which are capable of deceiving have been developed over the last years (2010-2014) by scientists. These deceptive AI machines, as we call them, have the ability to mislead opponents in a variety of ways and could be a desirable addition to military units. This research aims at examining whether there are possible frictions between the use of deceptive AI machines on the battlefield and the rules of the Law of Armed Conflict on military deception. By analyzing the deceptive capacities of these machines, the rules of the Law of Armed Conflict on military deception, and the problematic situations that arise the author concludes that the rules of the Law of Armed Conflict on military deception enjoy a high degree of flexibility and are not challenged by the deceptive AI machines.