On Sunday, Elizabeth Dwoskin reported in the Washington Post, citing two people familiar with the operation, that the use of AI to rapidly refill IDF’s target bank allowed Israel to continue its campaign uninterrupted.
In a June 30, 2023 interview with Ynet, retiring IDF chief of staff Aviv Kochavi revealed that “Among all the technological revolutions, artificial intelligence (AI) is likely to be the most radical, for better or worse. The IDF recognized this field years ago and harnessed it to enhance combat effectiveness.”
Kochavi continued: “One example of this is the Targeting Directorate established three years ago. It is a unit comprising hundreds of officers and soldiers, powered by AI capabilities. It is a machine that processes vast amounts of data faster and more effectively than any human, translating them into actionable targets.”
Following the devastating Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, the IDF launched extensive airstrikes on Gaza, utilizing a meticulously compiled database containing information on home addresses, tunnels, and other infrastructure deemed critical to the terrorist group.
However, as the initial target database began to dwindle, the IDF relied on the advanced artificial intelligence system that had been described by Kochavi which enabled the rapid generation of hundreds of additional targets, helping sustain the war’s relentless pace.
This highlights how a decade-long initiative to integrate advanced AI tools into the core of the Israel Defense Forces’ intelligence operations has played a key role in sustaining the effectiveness of Israel’s 14-month war in Gaza.
Fans and critics of AI will continue to exchange the pros and cons of this machine exhibited intelligence. Let’s think about the potential positive possibilities. What if AI could be used to predict the exact time and place where intentional harmful targeting of Israel’s defense forces and civilians will take place? If AI could help prevent the loss of life it would be the greatest warfare innovation of all time. It may not be that far off.
Source:
Report: IDF Using AI to Target the Enemy in Gaza, by David Israel/Jewish Press, December 30, 2024