Revista Sextante

Artificial Intelligence and Military Decision-Making: Ethical and Operational Considerations

Katarzyna Nowak-Mbeki

Institute for Military Ethics and Emerging Technologies, Warsaw, Poland

Keywords: artificial intelligence, military decision-making, military ethics, human-machine teaming, meaningful human control

Abstract

Artificial intelligence is increasingly used to support military decisions in intelligence analysis, planning, logistics, command and control and targeting, promising greater speed and information-processing capacity while raising profound ethical, legal and operational questions. This article examines the ethical and operational considerations of artificial intelligence in military decision-making. Drawing on research in decision theory, human factors, automation, military ethics and the law of armed conflict, it analyses decision processes, applications across the decision cycle, human-machine teaming and meaningful human control, reliability, bias and explainability, moral responsibility, legal accountability and strategic stability. The analysis indicates that AI offers the greatest benefit and the lowest risk in data-rich, low-consequence functions, that risk rises sharply as systems approach the use of force, and that responsible use requires meaningful human control, robust testing, transparent design and clear accountability. Limitations include limited operational evidence, contested ethical positions and rapid technological change. An illustrative figure summarises expected benefit and risk across decision functions.