AI Technologies Help in Sentiment Analysis in Conflict Regions

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The US military has been focusing more and more on information. In Afghanistan, the forces are increasingly interested in what the Taliban and the Afghan population are thinking, and how US actions might influence that. “Working in the information space can have the greatest impact in the coming years,” said Gen. Richard D. Clarke, the commander of US Special Operations Command (SOCOM).

AI will play a substantial role in SOCOM’s future information-warfare efforts, Clarke added. This summer, the command will stand up a new office to harness AI for language translation, scanning captured laptops and cellphones, collating and countering Taliban messaging, and more.

According to defenseone.com, SOCOM is working with the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center on new initiatives. The Command is currently pursuing more than 30 efforts that include some AI and machine learning. 

Next year, SOCOM will launch a program to give mission commanders better AI tools. One part is creating visualization software that can show relevant tactical information as well as population dynamics, social media trends, sentiment analysis and other social points. All this should give commanders a sense of what’s happening socially and psychologically in the places that they’re operating. 

AI may also help special operators to overcome jamming or detect new electromagnetic threats. On the tactical aspect, AI will allow aerial and ground robots to take over more dangerous missions, such as autonomously clearing a building or a tunnel.