The Very Long Game
Description
This open access book is the outcome of a unique multinational effort organized by the Hamburg-based Defense AI Observatory (DAIO) to portray the current state of affairs regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) by armed forces around the world. The contributions span a diverse range of geostrategic contexts by providing in-depth case studies on Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, the UK, and the United States. The book does not speculate about the future implications of AI on armed forces, but rather discusses how armed forces are currently exploring the potential of this emerging technology. By adopting a uniform analytical framework, each case study discusses how armed forces view defense AI; how they are developing AI-enhanced solutions, adapting existing structures and processes, and funding their defense AI endeavors; to what extent defense AI is already fielded and operated; and how soldiers and officers are being trained to work with AI.
Reviews / Votes
"This is the most comprehensive analysis of its type to date, representing a valuable resource for defence policymakers, industry and innovation units seeking to make sense of and accelerate the adoption of evolving global military AI landscapes. . The Very Long Game outlines the contemporary applications of AI in the military. . The sociotechnical approaches that connect practitioners and AI models with established systems of control remain an open and evolving challenge for militaries globally." (Callum Hamilton and Adam J Hepworth, Australian Army Journal, researchcentre.army.gov.au, Vol. 21 (3), 2025)
More details
Other editions
Additional editions
Persons
Dr. Heiko Borchert is Co-Director of the Defense AI Observatory at the Helmut Schmidt University, Hamburg (Germany), an Associate Fellow at the Center for Advanced Security, Strategic and Integration Studies (CASSIS), Bonn (Germany), and a subject matter expert at the Hague Center for Strategic Studies.
Torben Schütz is the DAIO Research Fellow for conflict analysis, a PhD candidate at the Helmut Schmidt University, Hamburg (Germany), and an Associate Fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP).
Dr. Joseph Verbovszky is the DAIO Research Fellow for defense technology and industrial affairs.
Content
The Very Long Game of Defense AI Adoption: Introduction.- Risky Incrementalism: Defense AI in the United States.- When the Teeth Eat the Tail: Defence AI in Canada.- A Fertile Soil for AI? Defense AI in Sweden.- Cautious Data-Driven Evolution: Defence AI in Finland.- Caught Between Today and Tomorrow: Defence AI in Estonia.- Servers Before Tanks? Defence AI in Denmark.- Master and Servant: Defense AI in Germany.- Leveraging Data Science for Defence in the Digital Age: Defence AI in the Netherlands.- A Winding Road Before Scaling-Up? Defense AI in France.- Waking Up Slowly: Defense AI in Spain.- Exploring the Benefits of a New Force Enabler: Defense AI in Italy.- Harnessing the Potential: Defense AI in Greece.- Enabling Technology of Future Warfare: Turkey's Approach to Defense AI.- High Hopes Amid Hard Realities: Defense AI in Russia.- Survival of the Smartest? Defense AI in Ukraine.- Embracing the Organized Mess: Defense AI in Israel.- Heavy Thunder, No Rain: Defense AI in Iran.- Passive Ambitions, Active Limitations: Defence AI in India.- 'Overtaking on the Curve'? Defense AI in China.- Overcoming the Long Shadow of the Past: Defense AI in Japan.- Will the One Ring Hold? Defense AI in South Korea.- Intelligent National Defense Amid Strategic Ambiguity? Defense AI in Taiwan.- Reimagining Defense Innovation: Defense AI in Singapore.- Evolution Not Revolution: Defence AI in Australia.