(MENAFN) Israel's military has deployed AI-enabled technology in combat in Gaza for the first time, sparking concerns about the use of autonomous weapons in contemporary warfare.
The army has provided hints regarding the purpose of this new technology, with spokesperson Daniel Hagari mentioning that Israel's forces were engaging in operations "above and underground simultaneously."
A senior defense official disclosed that the technology was being used to neutralize enemy drones and map out Hamas's extensive tunnel network in Gaza.
Emerging defense technologies, including AI-powered gunsights and robotic drones, offer a glimmer of hope amid a challenging period for Israel's technology sector. While the sector contributed 18 percent to the GDP in 2022, the conflict in Gaza has disrupted it significantly, with around 8 percent of the workforce mobilized for combat.
“In general the war in Gaza presents threats, but also opportunities to test emerging technologies in the field,” Avi Hasson, who serves as the chief executive of Startup Nation Central, an Israeli tech incubator, remarked on the situation.
“Both on the battlefield and in the hospitals there are technologies that have been used in this war that have not been used in the past.”
Mary Wareham, an arms expert at Human Rights Watch, emphasized the necessity for increased oversight concerning the utilization of novel defense technologies, particularly in light of the escalating civilian casualties.
“Now we’re facing the worst possible situation of death and suffering that we’re seeing today — some of that is being brought about by the new tech,” she declared.
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