NATO’s first Artificial Intelligence strategy

NATO Defense Ministers agreed on NATO’s first-ever Artificial Intelligence strategy on October 21st, 2021.

Why a strategy on AI?

It is not necessary to look far to observe how Artificial Intelligence, or the capacity of machines to execute activities that would normally need human intelligence (Stanley-Lockman 2021), is revolutionizing the international security context in which NATO functions.

Because of its trans-nature, AI will offer a wide range of international security issues, affecting both conventional military capabilities and the domain of hybrid threats, while also opening up new avenues for response (NATO, 2021). Artificial intelligence will have an influence on all of NATO’s main missions, including collective defence, crisis management, and cooperative security.

The Alliance’s capacity to dissuade and protect against any prospective foe, as well as respond effectively to developing crises, will be dependent on its ability to preserve its technical advantage. Militarily, the Allied forces’ comparative advantage will be dependent on a unified policy foundation and digital foundation to assure interoperability and compliance with international law. Furthermore, as prospective enemies engage in artificial intelligence for military objectives, ensuring that allies establish shared solutions to protect their collective security will only become more important.

What is the strategy about?

NATO’s AI Strategy aims to accelerate AI adoption by improving key AI enablers and modifying policy, notably by adopting Principles of Responsible AI Use and protecting against dangers from malicious use of AI by state and non-state actors.

It has four objectives:

• First, it will lay the groundwork for NATO and its allies to set a good example and encourage the responsible development and use of AI for Allied defense and security reasons.
• It will also expedite and mainstream AI use in capability creation and delivery, boosting interoperability across the Alliance through suggestions for AI Use Cases, new structures, and new programs, among other things.
• It will secure and monitor AI technologies and their potential to develop.
• Finally, it will address security policy concerns such as the operationalization of the Principles of Responsible Use and identify and mitigate dangers from hostile use of AI by state and non-state actors.

The NATO Principles of Responsible Use for AI in Defense, which will assist lead transatlantic activities in accordance with NATO’s principles, standards, and international law, are at the forefront of this Strategy. They are based on existing and generally acknowledged ethical, legal, and policy obligations that NATO has traditionally followed and will continue to follow.

These principles apply to all forms of AI applications. They are intended to provide cohesion for both NATO and its allies in order to facilitate interoperability.

Here are the principles:

Lawfulness: AI applications shall be created and utilized in conformity with national and international law.

Accountability and Responsibility: AI applications will be created and utilized with appropriate degrees of judgment and care. Unambiguous human responsibility will be required to assure accountability.

Explainability and traceability: AI applications will be comprehensible and transparent.

Governability: AI applications will be established and used in accordance with their intended functions.

Bias Mitigation: Preventive measures will be implemented to reduce any inadvertent bias in the creation and usage of AI applications and data sets.

Reliability: will be ensured by AI applications that have precise, well-defined use cases.

References:

Airforce Technlogy, 2021, Nato defence ministers agree to artificial intelligence strategy, https://www.airforce-technology.com/news/nato-defence-ministers-agree-to-ai-strategy/

NATO, 2021, Summary of the NATO Artificial Intelligence Strategy, https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/official_texts_187617.htm

Stanley-Lockman, Z., Hunter Christie, E. 2021, An Artificial Intelligence Strategy for NATO, https://www.nato.int/docu/review/articles/2021/10/25/an-artificial-intelligence-strategy-for-nato/index.html

Venture Beat, 2021 NATO launches AI strategy and $1B fund as defense race heats up, https://venturebeat.com/2021/10/21/nato-launches-ai-strategy-and-1b-fund-as-defense-race-heats-up/