The Challenges of Emerging Technologies

The article discusses the accelerated pace of development for new technologies including artificial intelligence, robotic, hypersonic, and cyber technology. Experts believe that these weapons will revolutionize warfare. The U.S. is spending billions on the advancement of these technologies while China and Russia are assumed to be spending equal sums.

Significance: The introduction of these weapons raise concerns of the military’s ability to obey laws of war and humanitarian laws with the use of fully autonomous weapons. The development of these weapons has also put at risk the current equilibrium in nuclear relations among the major powers. There is also distress that the development of these weapons is occurring at a much faster rate than efforts to understand their impacts and attempt to curb their usage. The article argues that it is essential to look at how these new technologies affect existing arms control and nonproliferation measures and see what modifications can be taken in order to ensure that they stay in place.