World
Expert dismisses Russian commander's 'highly unlikely' claim about crucial military advantage over US
![Expert dismisses Russian commander's 'highly unlikely' claim about crucial military advantage over US Expert dismisses Russian commander's 'highly unlikely' claim about crucial military advantage over US](https://static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/08/drones-3.jpg)
Claims made this week by the head of Russia’s technology development for its Defense Ministry suggesting that Moscow is “ahead” when it comes to the Artificial Intelligence (AI) race that erupted amid the war in Ukraine are being shot down by one top expert.
Speaking from a Military-Technical Forum held in Moscow this week, Gen. Vasily Elistratov, head of the Kremlin’s AI development, claimed on Wednesday that Russia is “ahead of our foreign partners” despite “attempts to isolate us at the technical level.”
Russia’s more than two-year-long invasion of Ukraine has driven an AI race as Kyiv, Moscow and NATO nations rush to advance their AI capabilities for wartime applications.
Russian Defense Minister Army General Sergei Shoigu (C) checks the implementation of the state defense order for the production of UAVs in Udmurtia, Russia, on February 10, 2024. (Photo by Russian DM/Dmitry Kharichkov / Pool/Anadolu via Getty Images)
US, UK AND AUSTRALIA TAKE NEXT STEP IN INTEGRATING AI DEFENSE SYSTEMS
But while the war has brought renewed focus to AI-integrated defense systems, particularly when it comes to the development of autonomous weapons systems, Russian President Vladimir Putin has long made developing AI a top priority.
In 2017, five years prior to the largest war Europe has seen since World War II, Putin declared, “Whoever leads in AI will rule the world,” and by 2022, Russia had grown its AI market by 18 percent in that year alone, according to Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
Moscow doubled down on its AI efforts last year and allocated some $54 million of its federal 2024 budget for AI investment – though that is just a fraction of the $1.8 billion that the U.S. has allocated for AI in its 2024 and 2025 defense budgets.
Despite Moscow’s efforts, former DIA intelligence officer and author of “Putin’s Playbook,” Rebekah Koffler, told Fox News Digital, “It is highly unlikely that Russia is ahead of the U.S. in AI development.”
Koffler explained that from the beginning, the U.S. and Russia have taken different approaches when it comes to AI, and while Washington focused its efforts of technological advancement, Moscow also focused on how it could use AI for psychological warfare.
![Drones Russia AI](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/08/1200/675/drone.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
A “No Drone Zone” sign sits in front of St. Basil’s Cathedral in central Moscow as it prohibits unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) flying over the area, on January 11, 2024. (Photo by Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP via Getty Images)
‘HISTORIC BREAKTHROUGH’: US DITCHES DEFENSE TRADE RESTRICTIONS WITH TOP ALLIES TO COUNTER CHINA
“When you have a cyberattack, not only can it disrupt your computer, it can also have a psychological impact on the user,” she explained. “In wartime, you can disorganize forces by attacking computer [systems].”
Koffler pointed to the clear psychological impact that Russia has made on entire populations following its use of disinformation campaigns, propaganda, digital fakes and election interference – a strategy the U.S. and the West typically do not pursue.
“The U.S. just doesn’t do that sort of thing,” she said. “That’s just not how we operate.
“In regard to Russia, it’s always been a thing – not just for foreign audiences but for domestic,” Koffler continued. “With the power of AI, you can spread disinformation a lot faster.”
This could mean that Moscow may be ahead when it comes to decision-making technologies, Koffler said, though she reiterated her doubt that Russia was beating the U.S. in any aspect of AI development.
The U.S. began employing AI technologies in warfare at the tail end of its War on Terror in Afghanistan in a move to alleviate the burden that U.S. and coalition forces were under as they attempted to maintain human intelligence networks on the Taliban amid the drawdown.
From the beginning, human oversight has played a major role in how the U.S. and its Western allies approach “responsible” AI employment in wartime, and it remains unclear how this specific factor could play a role in adversarial strategizing when it comes to AI on the battlefield.
![Ukraine drones battlefield](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/08/1200/675/drones-3.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
A Ukrainian air intelligence soldier carries a drone in the direction of Bakhmut, Ukraine, on May 10, 2024. (Photo by Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu via Getty Images)
But it wasn’t just the U.S. that Elistratov was likely referring to when he propped up Moscow’s AI developments compared to its “partners.”
China, a top ally of Russia, has been making great strides when it comes to AI development and is frequently considered the U.S.’s chief competitor in the race to develop all aspects of the burgeoning technology.
Koffler said that while Moscow is almost certainly beating allies like Iran and North Korea in the AI race, it is more likely that Russia is “close” to China when it comes to AI development.
![](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/np-logo.png)
World
Video: Daughter of Thailand’s Ex-Prime Minister to Be Next Leader
![Video: Daughter of Thailand’s Ex-Prime Minister to Be Next Leader Video: Daughter of Thailand’s Ex-Prime Minister to Be Next Leader](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2024/08/16/multimedia/16xp-thailand1-kgfh/16xp-thailand1-kgfh-facebookJumbo.jpg?video-overlay)
new video loaded: Daughter of Thailand’s Ex-Prime Minister to Be Next Leader
transcript
transcript
Daughter of Thailand’s Ex-Prime Minister to Be Next Leader
Paetongtarn Shinawatra was chosen by lawmakers on Friday to be the country’s next leader, two days after a court ousted the previous prime minister.
-
It’s about time to do something for the country and for the party as well. And I just, I hope that I can do my best to, you know, make the country go forward.
Recent episodes in International
International video coverage from The New York Times.
International video coverage from The New York Times.
World
Brussels switches from horse-drawn carriages to electric ones
![Brussels switches from horse-drawn carriages to electric ones Brussels switches from horse-drawn carriages to electric ones](https://static.euronews.com/articles/stories/08/65/00/58/1200x675_cmsv2_17faac26-85f1-5c3f-94fd-a2f50ace05e3-8650058.jpg)
In Brussels’ central square, tourists have swapped horse-drawn carriages for electric ones, partly due to concern about the animals’ welfare.
Since the start of June, Brussels has been the first city in Europe to make a complete transition to electric vehicles away from horse-drawn carriages for city tours.
Thibault Danthine launched his project this summer with two new vehicles after winning a call for funding from the city of Brussels in 2022.
Danthine, as city carriage operator, told Euronews that the transition was inspired in part by the ethical dilemmas of horse-drawn carriages.
“There were logistical and human resources issues. It was getting harder and harder to find drivers. And ethics are changing, the relationship with animals is different nowadays, and it’s less accepted to have a commercial activity with animals”, he said.
Last year, a horse died in Seville while pulling a carriage with tourists in the middle of a heat wave.
Danthine has sold his six horses, claiming he was convinced that electric carriages would continue to attract people.
“I never had the slightest doubt that electric horse-drawn carriages would continue to attract people. Because people today want to experience something new, something unusual, something to do with family or friends,” Danthine said.
The entrepreneur has invested several hundred thousand euros in two vehicles, that were manufactured in Poland. A third will be delivered this summer.
The brand is called Anderson, a nod to Robert Anderson — the 19th century inventor best known for inventing the first crude electric carriage in Scotland between 1832 and 1839.
Danthine’s carriages have a range of 120 kilometres, and have to be recharged once every two days.
Many city residents are enthusiastic about the change.
“I think the change from horse-drawn carriages to these new electric carriages is better, not only because the horses were making a lot of noise and smelling a lot in the city, but also for the animals, because they were spending a lot of hours outside in a city that has a lot of tourists,” Sari, a student, said.
Other cities have already contacted Thibault Danthine about changing to electric carriages.
World
Eugene and Dan Levy to Host 2024 Primetime Emmys
![Eugene and Dan Levy to Host 2024 Primetime Emmys Eugene and Dan Levy to Host 2024 Primetime Emmys](https://tvline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/eugene-dan-levy.jpg?w=650)
ad
-
News1 week ago
The ‘Blue Walz’: How a low-key Midwestern governor shot to the top to be Harris’ VP pick | CNN Politics
-
Ohio2 days ago
Ohio taxpayers sent families $966 million for private school tuition: Capitol Letter
-
Movie Reviews1 week ago
‘Confession’ Review: A Live-Action Manga Adaptation Crams Maximum Menace Into One Cabin
-
World1 week ago
The day after in Dhaka
-
World1 week ago
Ex-Catalan leader Puigdemont headed back to Spain despite fear of arrest
-
Politics1 week ago
Kamala Harris shuts down anti-Israel protesters during campaign speech in Michigan: 'I'm speaking'
-
Sports1 week ago
What’s in a name (change)? For Josh Hines-Allen, it was about roots and recognition
-
News1 week ago
Map: 5.2-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Southern California