Realities of Algorithmic Warfare
The Special Interest Group Realities of Algorithmic Warfare (RAW) conducts research in one of the most pressing domains in which AI is assuming an increasingly consequential role: life‑and‑death decision‑making in armed conflict. By examining emerging human–machine–human interactions and the ethical, political, and legal challenges they pose for human rights, international law, and international security, RAW’s work closely aligns with the HAI objectives.
Scientific and Societal Relevance
The ongoing wars in Ukraine, Gaza, Lebanon and Iran serve as testbeds for the use of new technologies and weapons systems, with many of these incorporating artificial intelligence (AI). For instance, AI-enabled commercial drones are being used to inflict widespread terror on civilian populations and infrastructures, and they are turning the frontline in Ukraine into hunting kill zones.
Moreover, AI is being deployed for data analytics on the battlefield, through which various data sources are integrated to feed into target recognition. In collaboration with Israel, Ukraine, the U.S. and its NATO allies, private technology companies, such as Palantir, Google and Microsoft, are leading these developments. They provide militaries access to their software, models, and digital platforms, effectively playing a critical role in lethal decisions about whom to target, when, and under which conditions.
While AI developers and armed forces promise more effective military engagement through increased speed, academic and public debates often focus on the risks that AI brings to meaningful human control in making life-and-death decisions and the scale of soldier and civilian harm.
While AI technologies are often discussed in abstract, technical, and sanitised terms, our interdisciplinary team addresses this gap by empirically tracing the innovation and deployment of AI systems across the military targeting process (the joint targeting cycle, or the “algorithmic kill chain”) towards their actual impact on the battlefield across different warzones.
Our research situates human–machine–human interactions (HMH) at the center of analysis, examining not only how humans use AI systems in warfare, but also how these weapon systems affect the people and communities who undergo the violence they produce. Through this lens, RAW investigates how AI-enabled targeting reshapes soldier and civilian harm, legal interpretation, accountability mechanisms, and democratic control over military force.
In line with HAI’s objectives, by translating complex technological developments into human-centered analysis, RAW contributes to a more informed academic, public and policy debate about how AI should, or should not, be used in the context of war. In doing so, we aim to ensure that decisions about AI-enabled warfare are subject to critical scrutiny, democratic oversight, and interdisciplinary expertise.
Methods and Impact
We use a combination of methods, ranging from document analysis, in-depth interviews, and participant observation – including conducting field research in warzones (such as Iraq, Ukraine, Gaza and Lebanon). RAW’s impact lies in connecting theoretical and empirical research with policy engagement and public debate through contributing to academic, policy and media debates.
Coordinators
Core members
- PhD Candidate in Conflict Studies, Utrecht University
- PhD Candidate in International Relations and Conflict Studies, University of Antwerp and Utrecht University
- Associate Professor in International Relations, University of Antwerp