Aspen Policy Academy

Battlefield AI Grapples With Risk-Tolerance Minefield

  • Article Published May 4, 2025

This article originally appeared on The Daily Upside on May 4, 2025.

By Nat Rubio-Licht

What does the battlefield of the future look like? 

The answer, influenced throughout history by advances in weapons technology from iron swords and gunpowder to fighter jets, is increasingly dependent on artificial intelligence tools that traditional defense contractors and Big Tech firms alike are vying to develop for the military. Though these firms stand to make billions of dollars, how best to regulate the known and unknown risks of AI in battlefield situations that threaten the lives of soldiers and civilians alike  remains undetermined.

“There can be real benefits if we do this right,” said Betsy Cooper, founding executive director of the Aspen Policy Academy. “We can make a lot of progress in shoring up our defenses and in understanding what our adversaries are doing. It just means we need to walk before we run.” 

Browse Related Articles

Green code against a black screen.

In Pentagon-Anthropic standoff, AI is real-time testing the balance of power in future of warfare

This article originally appeared on CNBC on February 27, 2026.
Mock code for an AI Large Language Model (LLM) that could intelligently answer questions.

How to Manage Misinformation in Large Language Models

This article originally appeared on Tech Policy Press on February 25, 2026.
Ring surveillance camera at a front door.

The Spy Next Door: Are Smart Doorbells Building a Surveillance State?

This article originally appeared on SC Media on January 28, 2026.