GLOBAL CONFLICT

This study examines the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in contemporary global conflict since 2000AD. The rapid advancement of digital technology and artificial intelligence has significantly transformed the nature of warfare, security operations, intelligence gathering, and international conflict management in the twenty-first century. The study explores how AI technologies have been applied in modern conflicts through autonomous weapons systems, surveillance technologies, cybersecurity operations, drone warfare, intelligence analysis, and military decision-making processes. It also investigates the implications of AI on global peace, security, and international relations. The study adopted a descriptive and analytical research design using secondary sources of data, including books, journal articles, government publications, online reports, and scholarly materials related to artificial intelligence and modern warfare. Findings revealed that AI has improved military efficiency, speed, precision, and intelligence capabilities in many countries involved in global conflicts. Nations such as the United States, China, and Russia have increasingly invested in AI-driven military technologies to strengthen national defense and strategic advantage. The study also found that AI has contributed to the rise of cyber warfare, automated surveillance systems, misinformation campaigns, and the development of autonomous combat weapons. Despite these advantages, the study identified several challenges associated with the use of AI in contemporary conflicts. These include ethical concerns, civilian casualties resulting from autonomous systems, loss of human control in warfare, cyber threats, privacy violations, and the possibility of AI technologies being used by terrorist groups and criminal organizations. The study further revealed that the absence of comprehensive international regulations on military AI poses serious risks to global security and stability. The study concluded that artificial intelligence has become a major factor shaping the nature of contemporary global conflict since 2000AD. While AI offers opportunities for improved security and military effectiveness, its misuse and uncontrolled expansion could threaten international peace and human safety. The study therefore recommended the establishment of global policies and ethical frameworks to regulate the use of AI in warfare, encourage international cooperation, and ensure that AI technologies are used responsibly for the promotion of peace and security worldwide.