AI-Powered Autocracies: Russia and China Leading the Way
"Fear among Russians heightened significantly following the commencement of the war towards the Kremlin"
Authoritarian states, like Russia and China, have harnessed the power of artificial intelligence (AI) for their advantage. Here's a sneak peek into how these two nations utilize AI to maintain control.
Russia's AI Strategy
- Military Might: Russia is pushing the boundaries by integrating AI into its military technology, focusing on autonomous systems designed to enhance battlefield capabilities. This includes autonomous weapons systems, raising concerns about the potential misuse of tactical nuclear weapons due to the shortened command chain and increased risk of accidents (Sources: 2).
- Population Control: Adopting China's AI-driven surveillance systems as inspiration, Russia is exploring the implementation of AI models to monitor and control its citizens. This includes AI-powered systems that can predict and monitor public behavior (Sources: 1).
China's AI-Surveillance State
- Keep the Watch: China has developed a sophisticated AI-backed surveillance system to monitor its vast population, employing facial recognition technology and AI-driven monitoring systems to track and predict citizen behavior (Sources: 4).
- Influencing the World: China's AI capabilities extend beyond its borders, manipulating global information flows to bolster its censorship and surveillance apparatus (Sources: 4).
Stepping into China and Russia's Footsteps
While other countries might not be replicating the exhaustive AI surveillance states of Russia and China, similar technologies are being developed and tested in various parts of the world.
- EU's AI Experiments: The European Union has funded projects like iBorderCtrl and ROBORDER, which use AI for border control, although they are still in experimental stages and do not reach the pervasiveness seen in Russia and China (Sources: 3).
- Israel's Border Control: Israel is leveraging AI in its border control and surveillance systems, reinforcing existing power dynamics and perpetuating discrimination in certain contexts (Sources: 3).
- UAE's AI Advancements: The UAE is positioning itself as a strategic player in AI, navigating ties between the US and China to strengthen its national advantage. While its focus is on global influence rather than domestic surveillance, it remains a key player in shaping AI-related power dynamics (Sources: 4).
In conclusion, although other countries might not be adopting the all-encompassing AI surveillance states of Russia and China, they are exploring AI for surveillance and control, influencing global power dynamics and governance challenges.
The European Parliament expressed concerns about the situation in the Middle East, as technology and politics intertwine, with AI-powered surveillance systems becoming a general-news topic of discussion. For instance, the European Union, through projects like iBorderCtrl and ROBORDER, is experimenting with AI for border control, a move that aligns with the broader trend of utilizing AI for surveillance and control.
In the face of rising AI capabilities, the situation in the Middle East, particularly concerns about the potential misuse of autonomous weapons systems, has gained significant attention in international discourse, including debates on crime-and-justice implications and global information flows.
