How Chinese Strategists Think AI Will Power a Military Leap Ahead

The People's Liberation Army has yet to adopt a definition, let alone a formal plan, for "intelligentization (智能化)," a Chinese vision for the transformation of warfare through artificial intelligence and automation. But Chinese military theorists see it as a rare opportunity for "leapfrog development" over adversaries. One author suggests that Star Wars will "become a reality"; another says the fantasies from "mythological fiction" will come true. Their writings, while not authoritative, have coalesced around several key themes that offer a crucial glimpse into potential PLA thinking and ambitions. Whereas these earlier eras of warfare turned on "mechanization" in the "physical space" and "informationization" in the "information space," PLA theorists argue that intelligentization will center upon a "cognitive space" that privileges complex thinking and effective decision-making.