Adrian JohnsonTLDR:
- North Korea has been developing AI capabilities in its nuclear program, posing potential international threats.
- The authoritarian regime has used AI to develop wargame simulations and has collaborated with Chinese tech researchers.
- The advancements in AI and foreign collaborations could lead to sanction violations and leaked information.
- North Korea has been investing in AI development since the 1990s and has ramped up advancements in recent years.
- There is concern over unintentional disclosures of military information during academic collaborations on AI.
According to a report by 38 North, a publication for policy and technical analysis of North Korean affairs, North Korea has been rapidly developing artificial intelligence for its nuclear program. The country has used AI to develop wargame simulations and has collaborated with Chinese tech researchers, which could lead to sanction violations and leaked information.
The report highlights that North Korea is strategically investing in AI to bolster its digital economy, and this commitment is evidenced by constitutional amendments and institutional reforms. The country has been developing AI across industries since the 1990s, but it ramped up advancements in 2013 with the creation of the Artificial Intelligence Research Institute.
While academic collaborations on AI have been occurring, there are concerns that foreign scholars may unintentionally disclose military information, particularly at international conferences. North Korea’s pursuit of a wargaming simulation program using machine learning indicates its intentions to better understand operational environments against potential adversaries.
The report also mentions that North Korean researchers have published studies on using AI to maintain the safety of nuclear reactors, aiming to mitigate the risk of nuclear accidents and make reactors more effective.
In conclusion, North Korea’s development of AI capabilities in its nuclear program poses potential threats, such as sanction violations and leaked information. The country’s investments in AI date back to the 1990s and have accelerated in recent years. International collaborations on AI also present concerns regarding the unintentional disclosure of military information.
