Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a key driver of changes in the economy, society, and the state. As a result, it also has become a crucial issue in national and international political debates. In this theme, we focus on the effects of AI on defense and foreign policy as well as on internal security and democracy. In particular, we look at the anticipated changes in war and conflict caused by AI-based applications, the competition over AI-technology and resulting shifts in power, the regulation and governance of AI, and changes in the activities of intelligence services. In this CSS Policy Perspective, Sophie- Charlotte Fischer and Prof. Andreas Wenger warn that policymakers and experts increasingly view Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the narrow context of great power competition.

With technology evolving at a fast pace, we have come a long way from the basic computers to presently using artificial intelligence in modern human warfare. In the current scenario of the world, it wouldn't be wrong to say that the country with the best technology intelligence and machines will be the strongest during the war. The era hasn't yet reached up till the dystopian future involving robocops, hammer drones or the Terminator. Instead, AI is being used to acquire better insights and make better decisions. Although we definitely cannot disregard the fact that artificial intelligence can be more dangerous than nuclear warheads, as once stated by Elon Musk.

Iranians fired 15 ballistic missiles at U.S.-based forces in Iraq; Benjamin Hall reports from Amman, Jordan. Iranian missile attacks on two joint U.S.-Iraqi military bases Wednesday morning didn't kill or injure any Americans, according to initial reports – and that appears to have been a deliberate move by Iran to avoid a retaliatory strike by U.S. forces. Iran had to strike back at the U.S. in some way after an American drone attack ordered by President Trump killed Iranian terrorist Gen. Qassem Soleimani and other terrorists Friday morning in Iraq. But the leaders of the Iranian regime are smart enough to know that if they had killed Americans in their retaliatory attack, Trump would have responded with deadly force. This could have sparked a rapidly escalating series of strikes and counterstrikes as each side hit back at the other and could have eventually led to a costly war that would have hurt Iran far more than the U.S. Iran called on the U.S. not to retaliate after the Islamic Republic launched as many as 15 ballistic missiles at the bases where U.S. troops were stationed – a clear indication that Iran wants to avoid further military conflict with the far more powerful American forces.

Americans should be on heightened alert for cyberattacks after Iran fired more than a dozen missiles at two military bases in Iraq where U.S. troops are stationed late Tuesday, security researchers say. Iran could target private businesses and government infrastructure to avenge last week's killing of its top military commander as tensions between Tehran and Washington reach one of their highest points since the 1979 Iranian revolution. "I am not predicting it will happen, but if it happens, I won't be surprised," said Steven Bellovin, a computer science professor at Columbia University School of Engineering. A cyber conflict has been silently raging for years. In retaliation for the U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad last week, Iran could target the power and electricity you use, the smart devices you carry or your bank account, security experts say.

LAS VEGAS – In a controversy-stirring appearance on the keynote stage of the country's largest technology trade show, Ivanka Trump unrolled her vision of what companies and the government must do to prepare the workforce for the future. "To do the same job today in many industries outside of what's considered sort of a traditional quote-unquote technology industry, there is a technical application and a technical literacy that's required," she said Tuesday at CES 2020 on the Las Vegas Strip. "So it's not only about training for the jobs of the future – people need to be thinking about investing in their current workforce so they can enable those people to do their same job using different equipment to help them." President Donald Trump's daughter and adviser joined Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association, in the Venetian's Palazzo Ballroom for a discussion called "The Path to the Future of Work." Trump, who came to Washington in 2017 as an adviser to her father, referred to her father as "the president" and focused on the work of the White House.

BlackBerry Limited has unveiled a customisable concept solution that OEMs and fleet managers can use for vehicle health and security use cases to'future-proof' their vehicles, accelerating development timelines and reducing the cost of moving projects from research to production and onto roads. Working with BlackBerry's cybersecurity and automotive embedded systems teams, companies across the transportation industry will be able to leverage the solution to build powerful AI and ML software-driven use cases with a view to enhancing the overall safety and security of their vehicles. The new offering marks the first time BlackBerry Cylance's AI and ML technologies have been integrated with BlackBerry QNX solutions, which currently are embedded in more than 150 million cars on the road today. The modular and flexible system will allow automakers and fleet managers to activate just the features they need or use their own data or pre-built AI/ML models to create an aggregate view of the health of their vehicles from a single console or'Vehicle Operations Centre', while also being able to automate software patches, continuously authenticate drivers and proactively address cybersecurity threats using both Endpoint Protection and Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) technology. "This solution represents a major milestone in the company's continued efforts to integrate BlackBerry Cylance's innovative prevention-first, predictive security products with our vast range of industry-leading technologies," said Charles Eagan, Chief Technology Officer, BlackBerry.

Artificial intelligence has no doubt had a huge impact on business and society as a whole. As 2019 comes to a close, let's take a look at the new developments in automation, hardware, tools, model development, and more that will shape (or accelerate) AI in 2020. Signs point toward an acceleration of AI adoption. We see the AI space poised for an acceleration in adoption, driven by more sophisticated AI models being put in production, specialized hardware that increases AI's capacity to provide quicker results based on larger datasets, simplified tools that democratize access to the entire AI stack, small tools that enables AI on nearly any device, and cloud access to AI tools that allow access to AI resources from anywhere. Integrating data from many sources, complex business and logic challenges, and competitive incentives to make data more useful all combine to elevate AI and automation technologies from optional to required.

The Trump administration is proposing new rules to guide future federal regulation of artificial intelligence used in medicine, transportation and other industries. But the vagueness of the principles announced by the White House is unlikely to satisfy AI watchdogs who have warned of a lack of accountability as computer systems are deployed to take on human roles in high-risk social settings, such as mortgage lending or job recruitment. The White House said that in deciding regulatory action, U.S. agencies "must consider fairness, non-discrimination, openness, transparency, safety, and security." But federal agencies must also avoid setting up restrictions that "needlessly hamper AI innovation and growth," reads a memo being sent to U.S. agency chiefs from Russell Vought, acting director of the Office of Management and Budget. "Agencies must avoid a precautionary approach that holds AI systems to such an impossibly high standard that society cannot enjoy their benefits," the memo says.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will cancel plans to visit Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman this weekend, TV Asahi reported on Wednesday, after Iran struck back at the United States for the killing of a top Iranian general. Kyodo News reported separately that Abe convened a National Security Council (NSC) meeting, likely to discuss Iran's attack on U.S. forces based in Iraq. Iranian state TV said it was in revenge for the U.S. killing of Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani, whose death last week in an American drone strike near Baghdad prompted angry calls to avenge his slaying.

Google is at CES this week touting all the different partners it has to bring the personal Assistant to speakers, smart displays, phones and the like. One partner is popping mad - wireless speaker pioneer Sonos. The Santa Barbara, California maker of speakers that can be added to home systems for improved sound without that last-century accessory, speaker wire, filed two complaints against Google Tuesday, and called for an immediate cease-and-desist order. If granted, it would mean Google would have to stop selling the Google and Nest Home speakers, Pixel phones and laptops. That was the cease-and-desist request sought by Sonos in a complaint filed with the International Trade Commission, along with a separate patent violation lawsuit in federal court in California.