AI cruise control: China wants high-level artificial intelligence for next-gen missiles

The Chinese military is looking to adapt its technology with the belief that future combat missions will require weapons to be both cost-efficient and flexible. They will also be based on a modular design, which will allow the missiles to be configured in regards to what mission they will be carrying out. "We plan to adopt a'plug and play' approach in the development of new cruise missiles, which will enable our military commanders to tailor-make missiles in accordance with combat conditions and their specific requirements," Wang Changqing of the China Aerospace and Industry Corp told China Daily newspaper. He added that Chinese engineers had been researching the use of artificial intelligence in cruise missiles for a number of years and that the country was the world leader in this field. However, he did not produce any evidence to back up his claims.