Automation, Autonomy, and the Future of Warfare

This course seeks to prepare future policymakers and industry leaders for the complex debate surrounding the development and employment of automated and autonomous weapons for warfare. Exploring the developmental, legal, ethical, and operational considerations of introducing automated and autonomous systems into warfare, the course will seek to create a broad understanding of strategic opportunities and risk. The course will begin by examining the principles and functions of war to provide a baseline of why warfighters pursue automation and autonomy, and we will examine historical examples of how militaries have integrated these concepts in a variety of contexts. The course will then examine the relevant technologies - both those immediately available and those that push the future technological frontier. Those include computers, robotics, and artificial intelligence as well as the processes for turning technology into warfighting capability. In the final phase we will review applicable legal and policy regimes, and consider the ethical dilemmas created by the introduction of new automated and autonomous capability from military, governmental, commercial, and activist perspectives. A secondary objective of the course is to prepare students with a practical policymaking toolkit for analyzing and developing policy for a complex issue, with applicability beyond the issue of autonomy and warfare. This course encourages students to digest the information about autonomy and warfare, and to think creatively and practically about how policymakers and private sector leaders should address them, through a series of simulations, briefings and written exercises, and exercises intended to represent the actual policymaking progress. This course does not advocate any policy position but instead seeks to foster a more complete understanding of why and how automated and autonomous systems are being integrated into warfare as well as a circumspect review of the advantages, risks, and opportunities. This is a seminar course with limited enrollment. Each class session will be divided into lecture/discussion format where each lecture will set the stage for a vigorous guided discussion. Students will be required to explore policy options and debate the advantages and risk inherent in each option. The course will also leverage industry, technology, policy, and operational experts to provide differing viewpoints and specialized knowledge and experience.