Whether humans in the loop, on the loop or out of the loop, hyperwar incorporates mixed software autonomies and arrives at decisions must faster than humans. However AI practices are opaque and perform poorly in discerning between threats and civilians, miltary targets and humanitarian operations.

Humans are not perfect decision-makers, but neither is artificial intelligence. Current technology has a long way to go if it is to be effectively implemented at hyperwar scale. Limitations such as imperfect data collection and training, lack of interoperability, and opaque core programming mean that AIs struggle to discern and differentiate between combatants in the fog of war. Hyperwar: How Militarized AI is Transforming the Decision-Making Loop. Caroline Steel, American Security Project^1

More conflicts are taking on characteristics of hyperwar in some form, Azerbaijan-Armenia, Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Palestine. As military commands add connectivity between aerial systems, drones and other data points, AI will be used heavily to integrate objects, social media and spatial imagery to produce targets, and oftentimes these false targets. The slaugther of civilians under hyperwars runs counter to international humanitarian law (IHL) and is not just a loss of human control in decision loops but also reduces transparency and accountability in targeting and collateral damage. The distributed nature of software means that multiple foreign companies could be held liable for participating in war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The media headlines about AI enhanced weapon systems are just the tip of the iceberg. Most AI is and will be deployed in systems far removed from the battlefield, in cloud computing and data analysis systems related to areas such as planning, logistics and preventive maintenance. It is an often-hidden side of the AI-driven revolution in warfare that has now been set in motion and will not stop. Ukraine A Living Lab for AI Warfare. Robin Fontes and Dr Jorrit Kamminga, National Defense^2

The emphasis and inquiry around hyperwar has been largely around organization adaptation to a new kind of warfare. But lost in the software hype has been efforts to evaluate and regulate aritificial intelligence in warfare.

If we are to remain competitive, an aggressive, fast-track effort to incorporate AI into existing and new platforms must be adopted. In the age of hyperwar, our willingness to embrace commercial innovation, our decisiveness in acknowledging that we live in a post-platform era, and most importantly, the speed with which we operationalize new investments, will be the attributes that lead to victory. AI is Shaping the Future of War. Amir Husain, PRISM^3

Stop Hyperwars is a think-tank of software professionals that tracks the risks of deploying artificial intelligence in conflicts, speculates on human futures and advocates to stop hyperwars.