The US nearly started a war with China over an erroneous AI-generated report – CNN
Kyiv • UNN
The US prepared to intercept a Chinese vessel based on a false report about a nuclear cargo. The AI error was discovered before the operation began.
In the spring, U.S. military personnel prepared to intercept a Chinese vessel based on an intelligence report claiming that the ship was carrying components for a nuclear program. Shortly before the operation began, it was discovered that the analyst had prepared the document using artificial intelligence, which had misidentified the cargo, CNN reports, citing sources, writes UNN.
Details
The incident occurred in the spring amid the war with Iran. An intelligence report circulated among U.S. military personnel contained information about a Chinese vessel in the Middle East that was allegedly carrying components linked to a nuclear weapons program.
The information was taken so seriously that the U.S. military began planning to intercept the ship. According to CNN sources, armed U.S. service members were preparing to board it, while military aircraft were already in the air.
The error was discovered before the operation began
Only shortly before the planned interception did officials decide to examine in greater detail the report prepared by an analyst from the U.S. Special Operations Command.
It then emerged that artificial intelligence had been used in preparing the document, and that the chatbot had incorrectly identified the materials being carried by the Chinese vessel. CNN was unable to establish what was actually on board.
According to one of the network's sources, the report about the cargo was "completely false."
This nearly started a war
The U.S. military operation against the Chinese vessel could have caused a serious escalation in relations between Washington and Beijing and potentially developed into an armed confrontation between the two countries.