Enabling Technology of Future Warfare: Turkey’s Approach to Defense AI

摘要

Abstract Defense artificial intelligence (AI) development in Turkey focuses primarily on improving the capabilities of autonomous systems, sensors, and decision support systems because Turkey believes autonomous systems are the future of modern warfare. Hence, autonomous systems, mainly uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), have remained a priority in Turkish AI development since 2011 and have expanded to include all types of uncrewed vehicles. Increasing autonomous systems’ capability in intelligence gathering and fighting, as well as enabling swarm operations, are prioritized in developing defense AI. While Turkey enhances the capabilities of autonomous systems, humans will continue to be critical for decision-making in the foreseeable future. However, the fast pace of developing and deploying autonomous systems exacerbates the dilemma of human-machine interaction. Turkey believes that AI enhancements to decision-making systems would help humans make quicker decisions and ease human-machine interactions. Thus, Turkey specifically focuses on AI-related technologies like machine learning, computer vision, and natural language processing with an application focus on autonomous vehicles and robotics. The intertwined development of AI and related technologies form the core of Turkey’s AI ecosystem. Turkey’s AI ecosystem is nascent but growing. Turkey aims to create synergies between its defense and civilian industries, academic institutions, and government through various ecosystem initiatives. Turkey seeks to increase its R&D spending on AI to increase employment and grow the ecosystem. Training and managing a skilled workforce are essential to building the indigenous AI development capacity that Turkey is looking for.