The AI Commander

Reviews / Votes

James Johnson has produced an excellent study of how rapid technological change is transforming the role of human commanders in warfare. Amongst all the hype surrounding Artificial Intelligence, this book makes a sophisticated, thoughtful, and balanced contribution to our understanding of the ethical, moral, and operational nature of the future battlespace. This book will be a must-read for all those interested in how we can understand - and survive - a strategic world Increasingly defined by the complex relationship between humans and machines. * Andrew Futter, Professor of International Politics, University of Leicester * In this intellectually invigorating work, James Johnson provides some very interesting insights into AI-enabled warfighting. With its primary focus on psychological facets of human-AI teaming, the book addresses several rarely explored themes, such as the ethical and moral implications of AI-anthropomorphism, the closely related inverse phenomenon of dehumanizing warfare, and the complex impact of AI-powered decision-making on nuclear deterrence and brinkmanship. Creatively framed scenarios provide interesting operational backdrops for an intense and illuminating analysis. A must read for policy makers, military strategists, and researchers in the field of responsible military AI. * Lieutenant General R. S. Panwar (Ret.), Colonel Commandant of the Corps of Signals, Indian Army * James Johnson's The AI Commander is an essential addition to the discourse on AI and national security. Johnson advances a timely and compelling analysis of the opportunities and risks of AI for national security. He offers masterful insights on human-machine integration and the ethical-political dilemmas of AI-enabled warfare. Johnson provides a vitally important exploration of AI's potential role in nuclear deterrence and risk analysis, with an insightful examination of how AI might be used to develop counterfactual 'red team' thought experiments that can help leaders with decision-making processes in both nuclear and conventional warfare. A must-read! * Lieutenant General John (Jack) N.T. Shanahan (USAF, Ret.), inaugural Director of Project Maven and the U.S. Department of Defense Joint AI Center * The AI Commander provides a much-needed human-centric take on the moral and ethical dilemmas of AI-enabled war. In this in-depth analysis, James Johnson moves beyond simplistic takes to explore the nuances of human-machine 'centaur' teaming in warfare. He argues that AI agents will become strategic actors in war, but they are no replacement for human judgment in command. * Paul Scharre, author of Four Battlegrounds and Army of None *