Future WARFARE and Artificial Intelligence Applications in the ROK Military: Problems and Alternatives

Purpose: This article explores the most likely impacts of Artificial Intelligence(AI) on the character of future warfare, focuses on how AI will change just about the way we fight in the battlefield, analyzes the current status and problems of AI applications in the ROK military, and then suggests several policy alternatives with regard to future development of the ROK military’s war-fighting capabilities with AI and autonomous systems (i.e., robots). Method: This article uses a literature review method that collects and analyzes data through existing research results or literatures. In order to understand the research trends of AI-driven warfare, professional military papers related to future operational concepts and doctrines are analyzed. In addition, data published by the Army, Navy, and Air Force Headquarters is referenced for the current state and problems of AI application of the ROK military. In particular, the latest data is mainly reflected in order not to miss important issues related to the rapidly changing military application of AI. Results: AI-driven future warfare will have three broad trends, that is, the acceleration of multi-domain battle, the generalization of cognitive-centered operations, and the Acceleration of Human-machine Fusion and increased ambiguity of blurring distinction between combatants and non-combatants. AI applications in the ROK military, however, is somewhat behind advanced countries, and currently stays at the conceptual level and exists mostly on paper. It still does not act to convert AI technology for military use, and not adapt it for operational concepts and acquisition process of weapons systems. For this reason, the ROK military needs to actively pursue various AI technology development strategies that can be used in conducting complex war-fighting within the full spectrum of conflicts. Conclusion: The ROK military needs to discard ineffective legacy weapons systems and prioritize investment in advanced technologies including AI, and streamline its cumbersome weapons acquisition and sustainment process and procedure as a means to win the AI race with other countries. With AI, the ROK military will be ableto create more agile, flexible and lethal war-fighting capabilities in strategic, operational, and tactical dimensions.