The algorithmic revolution is here, and nations are losing control of not only their understanding of the potential impact of artificial intelligence but also the governance model that enforced accountability on the advances in science and technology over the years at all levels. While each new technology innovation claims its territory for the economic advances in the human ecosystem with significant ramifications across cyberspace, geospace and/or space (CGS), the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has not only undermined governance, management, and growth models, but it has also broken all barriers to boundaries defined by human decision makers. In addition, it is both blurring the boundaries between human intelligence and machine intelligence, and the boundaries between man and machine and real and fake. As a result, the power dynamics are shifting away from the select few across nations (and is moving away from humans entirely to algorithms)--re-defining the criteria upon which geopolitics was framed--and thereby threatening the foundations of global peace and security. Since the beginning of the technological age, each new idea, innovation, and invention has helped humans across nations usher in a new era of economic growth, changing the fundamentals of respective nations and their security.

The Defense Innovation Board--an advisory committee of tech executives, scholars, and technologists--has unveiled its list of ethical principles for artificial intelligence (AI). If adopted by the Defense Department, then the recommendations will help shape the Pentagon's use of AI in both combat and non-combat systems. The board's principles are an important milestone that should be celebrated, but the real challenge of adoption and implementation is just beginning. For the principles to have an impact, the department will need strong leadership from the Joint AI Center (JAIC), buy-in from senior military leadership and outside groups, and additional technical expertise within the Defense Department. In its white paper, the board recognizes that the AI field is constantly evolving and that the principles it proposes represent guidelines the department should aim for as it continues to design and field AI-enabled technologies.

The algorithmic revolution is here, and nations are losing control of not only their understanding of the potential impact of artificial intelligence, but also the governance model that enforced accountability on the advances in science and technology over the years at all levels. While each new technology innovation claims its territory for the economic advances in the human ecosystem with significant ramifications across cyberspace, geospace and/or space (CGS), the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has not only undermined governance, management and growth models, but it has also broken all barriers to boundaries defined by human decision makers. In addition, it is both blurring the boundaries between human intelligence and machine intelligence, and the boundaries between man and machine and real and fake. As a result, the power dynamics is shifting away from the select few across nations (and is moving away from humans entirely to algorithms)--re-defining the criteria upon which geopolitics was framed--and thereby threatening the foundations of global peace and security. Since the beginning of the technological age, each new idea, innovation and invention has helped humans across nations usher in a new era of economic growth, changing the fundamentals of respective nations and their security.

The algorithmic revolution is here, and nations are losing control of not only their understanding of the potential impact of artificial intelligence, but also the governance model that enforced accountability on the advances in science and technology over the years at all levels. While each new technology innovation claims its territory for the economic advances in the human ecosystem with significant ramifications across cyberspace, geospace and/or space (CGS), the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has not only undermined governance, management and growth models, but it has also broken all barriers to boundaries defined by human decision makers. In addition, it is both blurring the boundaries between human intelligence and machine intelligence, and the boundaries between man and machine and real and fake. As a result, the power dynamics is shifting away from the select few across nations (and is moving away from humans entirely to algorithms)--re-defining the criteria upon which geopolitics was framed--and thereby threatening the foundations of global peace and security. Since the beginning of the technological age, each new idea, innovation and invention has helped humans across nations usher in a new era of economic growth, changing the fundamentals of respective nations and their security.

The rapidity of recent Chinese advances in artificial intelligence indicates that the country is capable of keeping pace with, or perhaps even overtaking, the United States in this critical emerging technology. The successes of major Chinese technology companies, notably Baidu Inc., Alibaba Group and Tencent Holding Ltd.--and even a number of start-ups--have demonstrated the dynamism of these private-sector efforts in artificial intelligence. From speech recognition to self-driving cars, Chinese research is cutting edge. Although the military dimension of China's progress in artificial intelligence has remained relatively opaque, there is also relevant research occurring in the People's Liberation Army research institutes and the Chinese defense industry. Evidently, the PLA recognizes the disruptive potential of the varied military applications of artificial intelligence, from unmanned weapons systems to command and control. Looking forward, the PLA anticipates that the advent of artificial intelligence will fundamentally change the character of warfare, ultimately resulting in a transformation from today's "informationized" (信息化) ways of warfare to future "intelligentized" (智能化) warfare.