China’s military parade on Wednesday – featuring the latest AI-powered uncrewed vehicles, laser weapons and missiles – signalled an arms race fuelled by scientific and technological advances.
Artificial intelligence, optics and physics and information technologies have underscored how innovations will shape the future of modern warfare, paving the way for futuristic intelligent systems.
“The parade featured unmanned intelligent systems, underwater combat units, cyber and electronic forces and hypersonic weapons, highlighting the growing capacity of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to harness emerging technologies, adapt to the evolving character of warfare, and prevail in future conflicts,” state broadcaster CCTV said.
The weapons on parade featured a “high level of informatisation, intelligence and practical combat capability, showcasing the military’s combat abilities, capabilities in new domains and strong strategic deterrence”, Dong Yongzai, a researcher at a centre under Beijing’s Academy of Military Science, told CCTV.
AI-powered equipment and vehicles
The parade showcased a variety of AI-powered uncrewed equipment.
The land combat formation showed vehicles that can perform reconnaissance, assaults, mine and bomb defusing and squad support, according to CCTV.
