Plenary: Disruptive AI for Defence

The delivery of disruptive AI technologies and innovations to Defence through research and development isn�t easy. To understand why, we consider the drivers of the past and how warfare is transformed by computational intelligence in this �age of free silicon�. Defence platforms have typically been complex to ensure they are capable in battle, large in order to carry an array of defences to keep people alive, and few because they are so expensive we can�t afford more and as a result we can�t afford to lose them. However, we are at a tipping point, the application of AI, miniaturisation, digital design, and low production costs are witness to disruptive changes towards the Smart, Small and the Many. This transformation in Defence will be described, along with some of the new challenges this brings. Examples of the �smart, small and many� developed through the Trusted Autonomous Systems Defence Centre in Australia will be highlighted. These will include �Cognitive ISR� for fully-autonomous coordinated unmanned aircraft missions in denied areas, and �Fire Fly� a self-organising high-altitude balloon constellation for locating wildfires and providing communication for responders. Key to this future is the legal, ethical and regulatory assurance of systems. One area will be described where AI can assist in response to situations of laws of armed conflict (LOAC) concern; such as a weapon system capable of identifying a red cross on a target and autonomously calling off a strike.