The Effects of Artificial Intelligence on Modern Warfare

Žaklina Spalević; Anita Klikovac; Stefan Zdravković

doi:10.51738/kpolisa.2025.3r.001

Authors

Žaklina Spalević Singidunum University, Belgrade, Serbia Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8502-2038
Anita Klikovac Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia: Sector for Emergency Situations, Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8616-7564
Stefan Zdravković MB University, Belgrade, Serbia Faculty of Business and Law https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0047-3356

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51738/kpolisa.2025.3r.001

Keywords:

Artificial intelligence, armed conflicts, military operations, drones, cyber attacks

Abstract

Modern armed conflicts increasingly rely on technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), and cyber attacks, which are transforming traditional paradigms of warfare. Research into the role of AI facilitates the development of automated decision-making systems, predictive threat analysis, and more efficient military operations management. The use of drones offers advantages in reconnaissance, targeting, and logistics, while cyber warfare enables attacks on critical infrastructures without direct physical confrontation, potentially causing significant security and economic damages. Studying these domains is essential for understanding new forms of conflict, improving defense strategies, and developing international legal and ethical frameworks. This paper emphasizes the need for continuous research to adapt security policies, advance technological innovations, and ensure stability within dynamic and complex modern warfare systems.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Al-Dekah, A. M. (2025). Mapping research trends and hotspots of artificial intelligence, and machine learning in medicine and health within the Eastern Mediterranean region: A comprehensive bibliometric analysis. Pharmacological Research Reports, 4, 100048. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prerep.2025.100048

Barros, J. P., Reis, J., Melão, N., & Cavalieri, A. (2024). Key features and applications of military drones: A case study from the Portuguese military ground forces. Journal of Defense Analytics and Logistics, 8(2), 179–201. https://doi.org/10.1108/JDAL-07-2024-0014

Bine, L. M. S., Boukerche, A., Ruiz, L. B., & Loureiro, A. A. F. (2024). Connecting Internet of Drones and Urban Computing: Methods, protocols and applications. Computer Networks, 239, 110136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comnet.2023.110136

Bogue, R. (2024). Political tensions and technological innovation driving the military robot business. Industrial Robot, 51(2), 189–195. https://doi.org/10.1108/IR-11-2023-0289

Burton, J. (2023). Algorithmic extremism? The securitization of artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on radicalism, polarization and political violence. Technology in Society, 75, 102262. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2023.102262

Davis, P., & Bracken, P. (2025). Artificial intelligence for wargaming and modeling. Journal of Defense Modeling and Simulation: Applications, Methodology, Technology, 22(1), 25–40. https://doi.org/10.1177/15485129211073126

Delleji, T., Slimeni, F., & Lafi, M. (2024). A C4 software for anti-drone system. Defence Science Journal, 74(5), 635–642. https://doi.org/10.14429/dsj.74.19504

Fox, S. J. (2022). Drones: Foreseeing a ‘risky’ business? Policing the challenge that flies above. Technology in Society, 71, 102089. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2022.102089

Han, H., Shiwakoti, R. K., Jarvis, R., Mordi, C., & Botchie, D. (2023). Accounting and auditing with blockchain technology and artificial intelligence: A literature review. International Journal of Accounting Information Systems, 28, 100598. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.accinf.2022.100598

Horowitz, M. C., Kahn, L., & Mahoney, C. (2020). The future of military applications of artificial intelligence: A role for confidence-building measures? Orbis, 64(4), 528–543. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orbis.2020.08.003

Lei, H. (2019). Modern information warfare: Analysis and policy recommendations. Foresight, 21(4), 508–522. https://doi.org/10.1108/FS-06-2018-0064

Majeed, K., Masood, Z., Ghori, M. R., & Zahoor Raja, M. A. (2023). Design and analysis of cyber warfare model with intelligent predictive stochastic networks for attack–defend strategies on critical infrastructures. Applied Soft Computing Journal, 148, 110847. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asoc.2023.110847

Makridis, C. A., & Mishra, S. (2022). Artificial intelligence as a service, economic growth, and well-being. Journal of Service Research, 25(4), 505–520. https://doi.org/10.1177/10946705221120218

Malmio, I. (2023). Ethics as an enabler and a constraint – Narratives on technology development and artificial intelligence in military affairs through the case of Project Maven. Technology in Society, 72, 102193. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2022.102193

Manghnani, P., & Mogh, A. A. (2025). An application of machine learning in empirical and variational mode decomposition with SVM classifier to enhance diagnostic accuracy for disease detection in soldier's eyes. Defence Science Journal, 75(1), 44–51. https://doi.org/10.14429/dsj.20551

Mathieu, L., Choufani, C., Andro, C., & de l’Escalopier, N. (2025). Management of combat-related extremity injuries in modern armed conflicts. Orthopaedics and Traumatology: Surgery and Research, 111(1), 104055. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.otsr.2024.104055

Osmonbekov, T., Johnston, W. J., & Donthu, N. (2024). Artificial intelligence advancements in procurement: Transforming organizational buying behavior. Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing, 39(12), 2745–2758. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBIM-01-2024-0026

Rim, H. J. (2024). Can an arms race promote stability? The inter-Korean qualitative arms race and US extended deterrence. International Journal of Conflict Management, 35(1), 150–173. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCMA-12-2022-0216

Sehrawat, V. (2017). Autonomous weapon system: Law of armed conflict (LOAC) and other legal challenges. Computer Law & Security Review, 33(1), 38–56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clsr.2016.11.001

Sule, B., Sambo, U., & Yusuf, M. (2023). Countering cybercrimes as the strategy of enhancing sustainable digital economy in Nigeria. Journal of Financial Crime, 30(6), 1557–1574. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFC-07-2022-0157

Szwed, A. (2022). The use of artificial intelligence in migration-related procedures in the European Union - Opportunities and threats. Procedia Computer Science, 207, 3645–3651. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2022.09.424

Tiwari, S., Khan, S., Mohammed, K. S., & Bilan, Y. (2024). Connectedness between artificial intelligence, clean energy, and conventional energy markets: Fresh findings from CQ and WLMC techniques. Gondwana Research, 136, 92–103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2024.08.013

Wagner, W., Viidalepp, A., Idoiaga-Mondragon, N., Talves, K., Lillemäe, E., Pekarev, J., & Otsus, M. (2023). Lay representations of artificial intelligence and autonomous military machines. Public Understanding of Science, 32(7), 926–943. https://doi.org/10.1177/09636625231167071

Waqar, A. (2024). Intelligent decision support systems in construction engineering: An artificial intelligence and machine learning approaches. Expert Systems with Applications, 249(Pt A), 123503. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2024.123503

Xu, H., Barbot, S., & Wang, T. (2024). Remote sensing through the fog of war: Infrastructure damage and environmental change during the Russian-Ukrainian conflict revealed by open-access data. Natural Hazards Research, 4(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nhres.2024.01.006

Yaacoub, J. P., Noura, H., Salman, O., & Chehab, A. (2020). Security analysis of drones systems: Attacks, limitations, and recommendations. Internet of Things, 11, 100218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iot.2020.100218

Zirojević, I. (2024). The use of artificial intelligence in modern armed conflicts. Vojno delo, 1, 73. https://doi.org/10.5937/vojdelo2401073Z