Artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly significant role in modern warfare, from intelligence analysis and drone control to information warfare and deepfakes.
The US and Israeli airstrikes against Iran are believed to have used Anthropic's Claude AI tool, demonstrating the increasing importance of artificial intelligence in modern warfare, from intelligence gathering and operational planning to propaganda campaigns.
As the U.S. and Israeli militaries continue to attack targets in Iran, AI is increasingly becoming a core part of military operations.
It is noteworthy that even as the US administration under President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth viewed Anthropic as a supply chain risk, the company's AI tools — including Claude — were still believed to have played a crucial role in military attacks against Iran.
According to numerous reports, AI has assisted in many stages of military operations, from target identification and legal approval support to the execution of attacks. This significantly accelerates decision-making in modern warfare.
Some sources indicate that AI was used in the initial missile attacks against Iran, including operations codenamed Epic Fury and Roaring Lion. These operations are believed to have killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who ruled for nearly four decades.
AI in intelligence gathering and analysis
One of the most common and long-standing applications of AI in warfare is the processing and analysis of intelligence data.
The U.S. Department of Defense's Project Maven is one of the pioneering projects in this field. The system uses machine learning to analyze aerial reconnaissance imagery and sensor data, enabling analysts to detect objects or patterns much faster than traditional methods.
Palantir Technologies, a partner of the U.S. government in Project Maven, has long advocated for the use of AI in the military. The company's CEO, Alex Karp, has emphasized that the U.S. is focused on leveraging AI to gain a strategic advantage in battlefield deployment and understanding.
The Israeli Defense Forces also acknowledged using advanced data analytics systems and AI tools to process intelligence and prioritize targets in operations in Gaza.
The role of AI in real-world combat was also clearly demonstrated in the Russia-Ukraine War, where intelligent weapon systems and data analytics were widely deployed.
Autonomous weapons and the debate over military AI.
To gain an advantage on the battlefield, Ukrainian forces have used numerous drones equipped with computer vision and automated navigation software to identify and track targets.
These advanced systems can operate in complex combat environments where GPS signals are jammed, making them difficult to disable.
In addition, many Western defense companies have also developed AI-powered loitering munitions capable of autonomously locating and attacking targets such as radar systems or armored vehicles.
Although semi-automatic weapons have appeared on the battlefield, Anthropic still believes that fully automated weapon systems are too early to deploy. This view is creating an increasingly wide gap between the company and the U.S. government in multi-year military cooperation programs.
Dario Amodei, CEO and co-founder of Anthropic, said he believes the use of AI to protect the U.S. and democracies is extremely important. However, he believes that current advanced AI systems are not yet reliable enough to operate weapons fully autonomously.
Amodei emphasized that the company would not provide products that could pose a risk to soldiers and civilians. He also stated that Anthropic had previously offered to collaborate with the US Department of Defense on research projects aimed at improving the reliability of military AI systems, but this offer had not been accepted.
According to him, without proper monitoring mechanisms, fully automated weapons cannot replace the judgment of professionally trained soldiers.
AI and deepfakes in the information war.
In the age of deepfakes, controlling the narrative in global media has perhaps never been easier. In tense political environments, organized deepfake campaigns can powerfully influence public opinion.
Amid escalating conflict with Iran, social media is flooded with fake images and videos. A prime example is the fabricated photos showing the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) damaged after Iranian attacks.
These images quickly prompted the United States Central Command to issue a statement on social media platform X to refute the misinformation.
The statement said the USS Lincoln was not attacked at all and the Iranian missiles did not even come close to their target. The ship continued to deploy aircraft in support of U.S. military operations.
Additionally, numerous videos showing American soldiers being brought home in coffins have also circulated widely online. These images are actually real, but were taken from the previous Iraq War.
Another video depicting a downed American fighter jet also went viral, but was later identified as a scene from a military video game.
These examples demonstrate that the role of AI in warfare is not limited to the battlefield but extends to cyberspace and information warfare, where AI tools can be used to spread political messages and shape global public opinion.