Military AI & Security
How AI is used in military contexts, arms races, autonomous weapons, and international security — and what governance frameworks exist or are needed to manage these risks.
Trajectory
Escalating arms race
Main driver
Autonomous weapons deployment; bloc competition
Leading actors
US & China militaries
State in 2040
Full arms race; no control mechanism
The military dimension of AI development escalated in 2036 with China’s annexation of Taiwan, officially ordered to protect strategically important semiconductor production. This conflict was the first example of the large-scale deployment of autonomous weapons systems. The resulting control China gained over global chip production and increased efficiency in Chinese research led to accelerated, AI-supported armament in both blocs, massively heightening global tensions.