[Tech Talk] Israel Gun Super AI Faces International Court

AI Gospel for Target Generation
Written in Gaza Operation Manual
50 Times Faster Than Humans?
Accuracy and Ethics Controversy Intensifies

On the 26th of last month (local time), the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Israel to prevent genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Accordingly, Israel must submit a detailed plan within the next month on how it will conduct military operations in compliance with the Geneva Conventions.

Meanwhile, there is a particular focus among some experts in international law, military strategy, and technology. This is the military target generation AI called 'Gospel,' which the Israeli military began using at the end of last year. This ruling could mark the first time that ethical controversies surrounding military AI are subjected to international scrutiny.

AI That Selects Military Targets Instead of Humans

The Israeli air defense system 'Iron Dome' in operation [Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

The existence of Gospel became publicly known in December last year, when the Israeli military conducted bombings in the Gaza Strip. At that time, the Israeli Air Force mentioned that it was striking military targets in Gaza nonstop for 24 hours.

Gospel was at the center of this operation. It is a target generation program using machine learning AI that filters targets for air force fighter jets to bomb. 'The Guardian' reported that Gospel had already been used in airstrikes on Gaza since May 2021. Once activated, this program continuously generates targets without pause. The Israeli military has likened Gospel to a "factory production line for target generation."

It is not clearly known exactly what type of AI Gospel uses. However, it is presumed that the AI synthesizes images captured by drones, intercepted communications collected by Israeli intelligence, and monitoring data of collective behavior patterns in Gaza to identify locations most likely to be military facilities.

This kind of technology is already actively used in civilian and public sectors. Examples include computer vision that recognizes specific objects or human faces, and deep learning AI that learns and predicts patterns in network traffic or population density.

'Target Generation Factory' 50 Times Faster Than Humans

Israeli soldiers are moving toward a building that looks like a country house surrounded by flowers and palm trees on the outskirts of the Gaza Strip, Palestine, on the 24th of last month (local time). [Image source=Yonhap News]

The power of AI-based target generation technology is destructive. Originally, 'target acquisition' is one of the most arduous tasks in war. To identify military facilities or high-value targets (HVTs) from the enormous sensor data collected from surveillance cameras, intercepted communications, tanks, aircraft, and satellites requires many specialists and a lot of time. Gospel replaces this complex and multifaceted task with computers.

The Israeli military compared the 'efficiency' difference between Gospel and regular target directors on its official website. A group of 20 Israeli military officers reportedly produces 50 to 100 military targets over 300 days. In contrast, the AI system can propose about 200 targets within 10 to 12 days. This is at least 50 times faster.

As a result, the Israeli military can follow targets produced literally 'like items coming off a factory line' and drop bombs accordingly. Considering that the Palestinian armed faction Hamas is known for its 'human shield tactics,' fortifying civilian facilities such as hospitals and schools for ambushes, rapid target acquisition and strikes are likely important for ensuring the safety of Israeli soldiers.

The problem lies in the ethical issues inevitably caused by this technology. While AI can instantly generate complex texts or images, its quality remains inconsistent and sometimes produces false information. This phenomenon, known as 'hallucination,' is well recognized. Advanced militaries such as the U.S. and U.K. have developed military AI technology much earlier than Israel but have yet to deploy it in actual combat. This indicates that the uncertainty of AI cannot be ignored.

Accuracy Traded for Speed... Now Before an International Court

Relatives are wailing as the bodies of victims are found at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip.
[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

Western countries allied with Israel also express significant concern about the misuse or abuse of Gospel. Lucy Thurman, an honorary professor of military technology at Lancaster University in the U.K., questioned in an interview with National Public Radio (NPR), "There is no way to explain whether the AI actually works as the Israeli military claims."

Questions also surround Gospel's 'performance.' According to various media sources, it is estimated that over 1% of the Gaza Strip's population has died due to Israeli military operations. Meanwhile, U.S. intelligence recently estimated that Hamas casualties account for only about 20 to 30% of the total. While eliminating approximately 6,000 to 9,000 Hamas operatives, more than 20,000 Gaza residents were sacrificed. This suggests that although Gospel may be fast, it is likely far from accurate. No one knows how many innocent civilians were 'misidentified' as terrorists.

Ultimately, the ICJ sided with South Africa's claim in this trial that protective measures for Palestinian civilians are necessary. Of course, this ruling is only a provisional measure, and the ICJ did not demand that Israel halt military operations. However, the ICJ stated that "at least some of the acts and omissions alleged to have been committed by Israel appear to fall within the provisions of the 'Genocide Convention (Geneva Conventions).'"

Israel must comply with the ICJ's order within a month and submit a detailed report on what measures it has taken to maintain compliance. This will likely include discussions on how Gospel, the core of the current military operation, is being used and whether the target information from Gospel can be trusted. For the first time, AI is standing before an international court.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.