North Korea fires 'strategic' AI-powered missiles in new test
With continued fears about how advancing tech will be used in the wars of the future, alarm bells are ringing after North Korea claims it launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile that employs artificial intelligence to evade missile defenses from South Korea and Japan.
It's no secret that World War III will likely use a whole host of futuristic weaponry not seen in previous conflicts, but more worryingly, some think we're already in the midst of WWIII.
There have been recent concerns about AI after a report claimed it nearly triggered a war between China and the USA, as experts continue to flag their fears that automated warfare could be far more devastating than we realize.
What is North Korea's AI missile test?
As reported by Euronews, North Korea's Kim Yo Jong referred to a 'strategic' missile test that was overseen by her brother and leader of the country, Kim Jong Un. Kim Yo Jong says that the missile can rapidly alter its trajectory at low altitudes and boasted about unspecified AI capabilities.
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Japan's military maintains that North Korea's missile landed in waters outside its exclusive economic zone, while the South Korean military said North Korea's test missile soared for over 700 kilometres.
Japan's Defense Ministry suggests the missile traveled 680 kilometres, with Kim Yo Jong saying this discrepancy proves the US allies couldn't follow the missile: "Whenever we applied the wavelike trajectory mode to missiles, the enemy failed to track the targets from their first skip points. There is no way to avoid this attack."
This supposedly AI-powered launch comes alongside Kim Jong Un trying to flex his military muscles with everything from live-fire drills to the commissioning of a new warship. There was also a September 20 test of a 'hypersonic missile system', with North Korea showing off solid-fuel intermediate-range missiles that were revealed in 2024.
In response, South Korea's military confirmed it has raised its surveillance level to monitor for further launches, vowing to share intel with Washington and Tokyo.
US Pacific Command reiterated the launch "does not pose an immediate threat to American personnel or territory or to our allies."
Could AI be used to end the war with Russia?
Russia and North Korea have grown closer over the war with Ukraine (ALEXANDER SHCHERBAK / Contributor / Getty)a?
AI is becoming more of a regular occurrence in the ever-evolving world of high-tech warfare, with Bloomberg saying NATO has drafted a plan that uses AI and drones to end Russia's war with Ukraine.
Dubbed "Theory of Victory", Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Alexus Grynkewich, will supposedly unveil the plan on October 12.
The document has been viewed by Bloomberg, with the outlet claiming it shows how NATO will use traditional weapons alongside "new capabilities that have emerged since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022."
If attacked, NATO could block a potential incursion with land forces and assets from its Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative. This includes low-cost drones, AI-enabled targeting, and systems that are manned by a skeleton crew of human forces.
It's said that NATO's allies in Europe have especially ramped up spending on defense, with various sides split on how the money should be divided between the likes of tanks and newer tech like AI that's been pushed forward by the war with Ukraine.
Russia's ongoing conflict again loops back to North Korea, with Kim Jong Un moving further away from the USA since nuclear talks with President Donald Trump broke down in 2019. He's since sent thousands of troops and weapons to support Russia in Ukraine, with North Korea's arsenal of weaponry now apparently including long-range missiles that could potentially strike the U.S. mainland.