Streamlining the kill chain: how AI is changing modern warfare

The US and Israel's conflict with Iran has accelerated scrutiny of artificial intelligence in military decision-making and weapons systems, forcing a reckoning with how automated technology shapes modern combat. While evidence suggests AI plays a significant role in targeting and operational planning during the war, the full scope of its deployment and specific applications remain largely undisclosed. The opacity surrounding AI's use raises critical questions about accuracy, civilian harm, and accountability—issues that become more urgent as militaries worldwide adopt similar systems. Policymakers and military leaders are only beginning to publicly discuss AI's role in what defense officials call the "kill chain," the sequence of decisions from target identification to strike execution. The outcome of this conflict may establish precedents for how democracies and allies integrate automated systems into warfare, influencing military doctrine globally.