Singapore warns technology becoming ‘actor in its own right’ as AI reshapes military operations

“Machines cannot carry responsibility – people and institutions must. In the military domain, if we lose control, we risk chaos.”

DIGITAL THREATS

In addition, with a more contested and uncertain geopolitical environment, fighting is being waged increasingly “below the threshold of armed conflict” – across digital systems, critical infrastructure and information ecosystems, said Mr Leong.

Falsehoods were also being weaponised to erode trust in institutions and divide communities, while the lines between peace and conflict, military and civilian, and state and non-state actors were becoming increasingly blurred, he said.

“Information warfare has become a permanently operating front. It is slow-drip and its cumulative effect on a population can be more significant than conventional force,” Mr Leong warned.

“We are heading in a direction of ever more powerful digital weapons, in a time of ever more uncertainty and contestation.”

Underlining the need for international rules and institutions, Mr Leong noted that cyber and information capabilities create a “strategic dilemma”.

“Each side has incentives to develop and employ them to the greatest advantage, but unconstrained competition risks escalation, proliferation and mutual harm,” he said, adding that the risks have to be reduced through dialogue, confidence-building and shared norms.

This was why Singapore convened the Digital Defence Symposium, he said. “While competition is a reality, we need to communicate and engage enough.”

However, he warned that the event must not be just a “talk-shop”. Instead, it needs to be a platform where militaries, defence officials, academia and industry come together to “share challenges, ideate solutions and build trust”.

NEED FOR SHARED RULES

There also has to be a consensus on shared rules and norms, as well as how to put them into practice, he said.

To this end, Singapore will also strengthen the ADMM Cybersecurity and Information Centre of Excellence (ACICE) as an open and inclusive cyber and information node for ASEAN.

“We want ACICE to be a bridge for practical cooperation that will be open, inclusive and impactful,” said Mr Leong.

“The digital future will not wait for us to be ready. We will need to adapt quickly, uphold human accountability, and keep escalation under control.”

This year’s symposium, held at the Raffles City Convention Centre, is co-hosted by the ACICE and the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies. More than 300 senior defence officials, academics, industry experts and partners from 35 countries from ASEAN and other regions are attending the event.