AI could spark nuclear Armageddon and World War Three, experts fear

Artificial intelligence could spark an accidental nuclear war, conflict experts fear. 

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the world’s leading organisation on nuclear assessments, said technologies like AI are aggravating the risk carried with growing global nuclear stockpiles. 

SIPRI pointed to China’s rapidly growing stockpile, from 500 to 600 in a single year, as well as the imminent expiry of the final arms control treaty between the US and Russia, two nuclear-armed nations. 

The institute’s director, Dan Smith, warned: ‘One component of the coming arms race will be the attempt to gain and maintain a competitive edge in artificial intelligence (AI), both for offensive and defensive purposes.

‘There are benefits to be found but the careless adoption of AI could significantly increase nuclear risk.’ 

He said that while AI could make it easier to assess states’ compliance with nuclear agreement, it is also likely to give countries, as well as rogue groups, the ability to make quicker and less though-out decisions.

‘As the new technologies speed up decision-making in a crisis, there is also the risk of a war as a result of miscommunication, misunderstanding or even a technical accident,’ he says. 

Smith said: ‘The signs are that a new nuclear arms race is gearing up. Compared to the last one, the risks are likely to be more diverse and more serious.’

Artificial intelligence could spark an accidental nuclear war, conflict experts fear (Fileimage)

SIPRI’s director, Dan Smith, warned: ‘One component of the coming arms race will be the attempt to gain and maintain a competitive edge in artificial intelligence’ (File image)

As it stands, nine countries have nuclear weapons. While five of them, being Britain, France, the US, Russia and China, have signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, India and Pakistan did not. 

North Korea signed it, but withdrew its signature shortly before conducting its first nuclear test. 

Israel, meanwhile, has not signed the NPT nor has it ever publicly declared its nuclear weapons – it is believed to be in possession of 90. 

It is currently battling with Iran, a nation that has been accused of developing the technology needed to create nuclear bombs.  

US President Donald Trump urged Iranians to evacuate Tehran, citing what he said was its government’s rejection of a deal to curb nuclear weapons development, as Israel and Iran attacked each other for a fifth straight day on Tuesday.

World leaders meeting at the Group of Seven summit in Canada called for a de-escalation of the worst-ever conflict between the regional foes, saying Iran was a source of instability and must never have a nuclear weapon while affirming Israel’s right to defend itself.

Trump, who left the summit early due to the Middle East situation, said his departure had ‘nothing to do with’ working on a deal between Israel and Iran after French President Emmanuel Macron said the U.S. had initiated a ceasefire proposal.

Iranians looking as a plume of heavy smoke and fire rise from an oil refinery in Tehran, after it was hit in an overnight Israeli strike

Smoke billows for the second day from the Shahran oil depot, northwest of Tehran

A fire blazes in the oil depots of Shahran, northwest of Tehran

‘Wrong! He has no idea why I am now on my way to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that,’ Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform late on Monday.

The US president had earlier said Iran should have signed a deal with the United States and urged residents to evacuate the Iranian capital.

‘Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!’ Trump said on Monday.

Three people were killed and four injured in Iran’s central city of Kashan in an Israeli attack, Iran’s Nournews reported on Tuesday.

***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk