For the first time, the Israeli army has deployed some artificial intelligence military technology in Gaza, raising concerns about the use of autonomy in modern warfare. The military hinted at the use of the new technology, and spokesman Hagari said last month that Israeli forces were "operating simultaneously above and below ground." According to the Israeli military, the new technology is destroying Hamas drones and mapping Hamas's vast network of tunnels in Gaza. New defense technologies, including AI-powered gun sights and robotic drones, have formed a bright spot during a dire time for Israel's tech industry.
In 2022, the sector accounted for 18% of GDP, but the war in Gaza has already wreaked havoc, with an estimated 8% of the workforce being called up to fight. In general, the war in Gaza poses a threat, but there is also an opportunity to test emerging technologies in this area. Whether on the battlefield or in the hospital, there are technologies that have been used in this war that have not been used in the past. The rising civilian death toll shows the need for greater oversight of the use of new forms of defense technology.
In December, more than 150 countries supported a United Nations resolution identifying "serious challenges and concerns" for new military technologies, including "artificial intelligence and the autonomy of ** systems." Like many other modern conflicts, this war was shaped by the proliferation of cheap drones that made air attacks easier and cheaper.
Hamas used them to drop explosives in the October 7 attacks, while Israel turned to new technology to shoot them down. First, the army used an AI-powered optical sight made by the Israeli start-up SmartShoter, which is attached to rifles and machine guns, etc. It helps Israeli soldiers intercept drones, because Hamas uses a lot of drones, and it makes every regular army soldier, even a blind soldier, a sniper. Another system for neutralizing UAVs, which can be thrown around enemy ships to neutralize UAVs. The Israeli military calls the drone-to-drone behavior Angry Birds. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has vowed to "destroy" one of Hamas's pillars, is rapidly mapping a network of underground tunnels, where Israel says the group's militants are hiding and taking hostages.