Four Battlegrounds: Power in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

by Paul Scharre

An NPR 2023 "Books We Love" Pick

One of the Next Big Idea Club's Must-Read Books



"An invaluable primer to arguably the most important driver of change for our future." —P. W. Singer, author of Burn-In



An award-winning defense expert tells the story of today’s great power rivalry—the struggle to control artificial intelligence.


A new industrial revolution has begun. Like mechanization or electricity before it, artificial intelligence will touch every aspect of our lives—and cause profound disruptions in the balance of global power, especially among the AI China, the United States, and Europe. Autonomous weapons expert Paul Scharre takes readers inside the fierce competition to develop and implement this game-changing technology and dominate the future.


Four Battlegrounds argues that four key elements define this data, computing power, talent, and institutions. Data is a vital resource like coal or oil, but it must be collected and refined. Advanced computer chips are the essence of computing power—control over chip supply chains grants leverage over rivals. Talent is about which country attracts the best researchers and most advanced technology companies? The fourth “battlefield” is maybe the most the ultimate global leader in AI will have institutions that effectively incorporate AI into their economy, society, and especially their military.


Scharre’s account surges with futuristic technology. He explores the ways AI systems are already discovering new strategies via millions of war-game simulations, developing combat tactics better than any human, tracking billions of people using biometrics, and subtly controlling information with secret algorithms. He visits China’s “National Team” of leading AI companies to show the chilling synergy between China’s government, private sector, and surveillance state. He interviews Pentagon leadership and tours U.S. Defense Department offices in Silicon Valley, revealing deep tensions between the military and tech giants who control data, chips, and talent. Yet he concludes that those tensions, inherent to our democratic system, create resilience and resistance to autocracy in the face of overwhelmingly powerful technology.


Engaging and direct, Four Battlegrounds offers a vivid picture of how AI is transforming warfare, global security, and the future of human freedom—and what it will take for democracies to remain at the forefront of the world order.

Genres: Technology, Nonfiction, Artificial Intelligence, Military Fiction, Politics, Science, Business

486 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 28, 2023

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book because it is what my job is all about and it took a very complex subject and boiled it down to the most salient points and considerations. It’s a great primer for anyone who might want to consider a career cyber security. Technical, but written for the average layperson (I think - hard for ND to be objective since my perspective will be very different, given it is my job).

[Thom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book, and if not for a lot of business travel, I would have finished this library book in two weeks or less. It explores the four areas that today's AI needs to thrive - data sets, computing power, talent, and institutions. While taking the global view, it mostly compares the progress of the US versus China.

Chapters topics were clear and concise. The authors explains the importance with examples and then goes into relevant details. The institutions work was especially interesting, as our bureaucracy can get in the way of progress. The text is also very critical of AI used for authoritarian purposes, very much the case in China currently. The author comes off as somewhat antagonistic towards that country, mostly for that reason, but closes the book with the idea that war isn't inevitable.

I hadn't heard of this book, but had the author's Army of None: Autonomous Weapons and the Future of War on hold. When I spotted this on the new book shelf, I seized on what will probably be in my top five reads of the year. It's that good, and highly recommended. Looking forward to reading his other book, and future books as well.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

One Of The Few Books That Gets AI Right

This was a really great book on military AI, AI strategies, and looking towards the future.

This book OPENS with a quote from Putin, THEN a quote from Xi Jinping. It alerted me immediately as some red flags, but those concerns were quickly washed away. I believe the quotes were just to indicate how even these communist countries are prioritizing AI.
That being said, the first chapter detailed a lot of worry and intensity around these authoritarian regimes and what they are doing and planning with AI.

The author also did a really great analysis on Taiwan's chip supremacy (TSMC).

This was an absolutely amazing book that detailed how invasive technologies are changing the lives of people in China especially. It detailed face scanning technology the Uyghur detention and "reeducation" campaigns, along with the social credit score and even gait detection on how you walk.

He also went into great detail about how China uses tactics like in 1984 - controlling the past and the future. He outlined a scary Orwellian piece about how you can't even send WeChat payments that use the dates of the Tiananmen Massacre in them.
A really important book on surveillance capitalism and the ills of communism.

Another really important example in the book is how companies kowtow to China - for example, China requested a whole bunch of companies, specifically airlines, that they list Taiwan as a province of China. One of the companies that fell for this is Air Canada.

It went into some great detail about The amazing rise of ChatGPT

Also some really good points about deepfakes.

Also, I thought this was a really important book on human rights and how you can support human rights as a consumer by carefully looking at what companies you are buying from and what those companies' values are. Big on this front was how certain companies such as buying Hikvision cameras support the facial identity scanning of minorities in China.

This book really covers a ton of amazing topics and really gets some great arguments and key points about the use of AI and the potential future we all face

I especially like how this book focused on geopolitical tensions, military strategy & use, and international relations - for example foreign policy.

Excellent writing on how to protect against espionage and intellectual property theft from foreign actors.

Recommended Reading
Some books I recommend reading alongside this great book:
Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology
In the Camps: China's High-Tech Penal Colony
The Great U.S.-China Tech War
The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power
Terror Capitalism: Uyghur Dispossession and Masculinity in a Chinese City

Check this book out! You won't be disappointed!
I look forward to more books by Scharre.

4.8/5

[Chad Manske · Rating 4 out of 5]

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming its own separate war fighting domain, cleanly shooting off from the cyber realm. Deep fakes, bots, synthetic learning and other applications are so realistic that it’s hard to differentiate fact from fiction. This will increasingly be the norm and is problematic when it comes to the weaponization of such tools. This, and other propositions, are well-articulated in Paul Scharre’s new book on AI. AI is already having profound effects on world rivals—the US, China and Russia—and its game-changing technology advancements will exacerbate these conditions. Scharre argues that four key elements, or battlegrounds as he calls them—data, computing power, talent and institutions—serve as the catalysts for AI. Nations that capitalize on these four battlegrounds will hold the high ground whether they do so singly or in combination. AI’s tools, when programmed properly, alleviate burdensome human time constraints allowing for magnitudes faster repetitions and learning when algorithms are written and released appropriately. Governments would be wise to channel and use these tools to enhance national security as an adjunct to their other tools and resources.

[Catherine Barrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m glad I read this but it was much more policy heavy than I anticipated (especially US policy regarding China, but also DoD acquisition policy and international policy to establish AI norms and guard rails) — important stuff but not what I was most interested in and those areas felt pretty repetitive at times. Also, while the book isn’t very technical in general (a good thing) there were a few parts that were more technical than I wanted (e.g., about computing power), so I zoned out a bit in those. On the other hand, I really appreciated the specific examples of existing AI systems’ capabilities, limitations (the somersaulting soldier will stick with me!), and vulnerabilities (the data poisoning and sticker examples were eye opening!).

Lastly, hopefully this was an issue limited to the DoD Library’s copy of the audiobook on Libby, but it was one 13-hour track! Very annoying if you lose your spot.

[Murtaza]

Surprisingly dull

[Grant Keegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are few technologies as impactful in the world today as artificial intelligence. Especially in 2023, disruptive technologies such as A.I.-generated art and ChatGPT have made headlines recently. While many people are open to these technologies, others are skeptical as to what risks A.I. can bring. In Four Battlegrounds, A.I. expert Paul Scharre offers a contemporary exploration of artificial intelligence that will make skeptics worried but also offers solutions to how we should move forward as a species in this new wild west of technological development.

The main idea in the book, represented by the title, explores the four areas Scharre describes where A.I. depends on the most for its future. These areas are data, computing power, talent, and institutions. He spends the first chapters explaining why they are so important, and why countries such as the United States and China are racing to increase their hold on them. These chapters serve as a call for institutions and governments to ensure that these resources are wielded and obtained in a responsible way that prevents political conflict.

In the book, we explore many of the current developments happening all across the world in artificial intelligence research. I read about what is going on in places such as OpenAI, the American military, Chinese companies, and thinkers such as Yi Zeng, who is described as the current leader in A.I. ethics. Scharre does a great job at explaining complex topics in a way that the average reader can understand, as well as underlining the importance of these latest developments.

An area of the book that he places a lot of focus is on the dangers of A.I. for authoritarian purposes. He explores thoroughly and critically the way the Chinese Communist Party has used technology to grasp control, including committing human rights violations, as well as selling these technologies to other authoritarian regimes all across the world. These chapters of the book are highly critical and should be taken seriously. I came to realize that like any technology that can be used for good, it can also be wielded to do bad, and A.I. won’t be the exception. Among the topics explored are facial recognition, military drones, government databases, public camera footage, and even DNA phenotyping.

While most of the book is full of bone-chilling examples of A.I. being used irresponsibly, he ends Four Battlegrounds on a neutral note. I loved the chapter that explores OpenAI’s philosophy and objectives. One of my favorite ideas in the book is that A.I. today can be described as how alchemy was considered back then. Something that works according to how we put it in practice, but we lack the scientific rigor and verifiable knowledge to know how exactly it is done. This idea made me realize how important it is for researchers and policymakers to prioritize our understanding of A.I. and the unexpected risks it can cause.

The book has very valuable insights and information. It also keeps me humble as to how much there is on the topic of artificial intelligence to understand, a sentiment shared by even the most expert voices in this field of technology. The only drawback I would find in the book is that it sometimes comes off as too antagonistic towards China, which is understandable in certain contexts but leaves the reader wanting more information from an unbiased perspective. Otherwise, Four Battlegrounds is a fantastic, oftentimes terrifying exploration of what is going on in the world of artificial intelligence.

Read my review on my blog: https://www.tomorrowmatters.net/book-...

[Peter McCluskey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Four Battlegrounds is often a thoughtful, competently written book on an important topic. It is likely the least pleasant, and most frustrating, book fitting that description that I have ever read.

The title's battlegrounds refer to data, compute, talent, and institutions. Those seem like important resources that will influence military outcomes. But it seems odd to label them as battlegrounds. Wouldn't resources be a better description?

Scharre knows enough about the US military that I didn't detect flaws in his expertise there. He has learned enough about AI to avoid embarrassing mistakes. I.e. he managed to avoid claims that have been falsified by an AI during the time it took to publish the book.

Scharre has clear political biases. E.g.:

Conservative politicians have claimed for years - without evidence - that US tech firms have an anti-conservative bias.

(Reminder: The Phrase "No Evidence" Is A Red Flag For Bad Science Communication.) But he keeps those biases separate enough from his military analysis that I don't find those biases to be a reason for not reading the book.

What Dangers?

Scharre is mostly concerned with issues such as which military gets the fastest reaction times, uses data the best (e.g. matching soldiers with the best jobs), or saves money.

I never get the sense that he's willing to extrapolate recent progress in AI to imagine them replacing humans at jobs they're not currently capable of handling.

The dangers from AI aren't the dangers science fiction warned us about. We needn't fear robots rising up to throw off their human overlords, or at least not anytime soon.

Presumably science fiction made some misleading simplifications about the dangers. But if now isn't the time to worry about the effects of smarter-than-human minds, when will it be time?

I guess Scharre's answer is: a few decades from now. He suggests that in the long term, AI might have dramatic effects such as reliably predicting which side will win a war, which presumably would cause the losing side to concede. He analogizes AI to "a Cambrian explosion of intelligence". But for the foreseeable future, he focuses exclusively on AI as a tool for waging war.

Strategy

The most valuable insight into how warfare will change involves swarming.

Humans are limited in how they can coordinate within a group of people. Evidence from sports teams suggests that 18 is about the maximum number of people can usefully move independently.

Military units almost always have a leader directly commanding less than 18 subordinates. AIs will likely have the capacity to coordinate a much larger set of units, which will presumably enable new tactics. How significant is that? My intuition says it will change war in some important way, but the book left me without any vision of that impact.

A Race with China?

Scharre wants us to believe that China and the US in a close competition to militarize AI. I feel almost as uncertain about this as I was before reading the book.

China leads the US in some important aspects of deploying AI (e.g. facial recognition, robot bellhops, or the number of cities with robocars).

I see few signs that China can match the US in research that's producing the smartest and most general purpose systems. My intuition says this is mostly more important than is deploying the AI technology that existed in 2022.

There's a possibly large disconnect between AI progress in leading US tech companies, and US military use of AI.

Leading companies such as Microsoft and Google are pursuing a very cosmopolitan strategy that involves US and Asian researchers cooperating toward shared goals. A generic anti-military stance among tech workers has ensured that those companies cooperate less with the US military. (It almost sounds as if Scharre is complaining about capitalists for subverting US imperialism.)

Scharre worries that that combination will leave China's military ahead of the US military at adopting AI. I see nothing clearly mistaken about that concern. But I see restrictions on semiconductor sales to China as likely to matter more 3 to 5 years from now. Beyond 5 years, I see more importance in advances in the basic technology for AI.

Most of those concerns assume a moderate degree of competence in the US military's efforts to adopt AI. Scharre describes signs that the US military isn't functional enough to adopt much new technology. The leading example is a cloud computing contract called JEDI. Proposed in 2017, it was canceled in 2021 because forces who wanted it awarded to Amazon were able to veto any award to not-Amazon, and opposing forces were able to veto any award to Amazon.

Another example is the F-35 stealth fighter, which took 25 years to achieve partial deployment. It's hard to see AI development slowing enough for that kind of approach to succeed.

I've seen hints elsewhere that OpenAI won't allow military uses of GPT, and that the US military won't figure out anytime soon whether that kind of AI can be made safe for military use.

Scharre suggests that the military will want to recreate AIs from scratch, due to the impracticality of analyzing the security risks of OpenAI's training data. Conceivably that could mean that large countries could be outcompeted by a small country that bypassed such precautions (Israel?). Scharre ignores this scenario, probably because he sees much slower change in AI capabilities than I see.

To be clear, Scharre says the current tensions between the US and China do not at all qualify as an arms race, at least as the relevant experts define "arms race".

Fanning the Flames

About a quarter of the book is devoted to enumerating the ways in which China oppresses people. Scharre also throws in a few platitudes about how the US is better due to democracy, and checks and balances. Those comments seem mostly true, but carefully selected to overstate the differences between the countries.

What's the connection between Orwellian developments in China and the future of war? Scharre's patterns here suggest that he's mostly focused on convincing the US to go to war with China.

The fact that China oppresses people is not at all sufficient reason to go to war with China. I'm angry at Scharre for trying to steer us toward war without articulating a sensible justification for war.

Concluding Thoughts

This book will likely help the military keep from falling too far behind in its understanding of AI.

It's unlikely to convince any large military to replace its current focus on manpower, ships, tanks, and planes as the main measures of military power. I'm about 95% sure that it will fail to instill an appropriate sense of urgency about understanding AI.

[Sheldon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scharre provides a very comprehensive discussion of the political and social implications of Artificial intelligence (AI) from both a domestic and international perspective. While much of his focus is on China as a primary competitor, I found a lot of interesting discussion of how AI is being used domestically and the policy-related challenges to its application. My primary reason for denying a star is that the book provides a somewhat murky definition of what AI is in this context. Many of the examples involve generative AI and I think it might be better to define these techniques as advanced predictive analytics. We are still a good deal away from computations that could genuinely be understood as intelligence. Scharre does seem to understand this and points out frequently how the quality of data used to train models impacts the quality of predictions. However, a clearer discussion at the beginning of the book would have made the remaining chapters clearer. On an unrelated note, I felt like the big idea of this book (referenced in the title) was somewhat underdeveloped. I would have liked to see him return to these four battlegrounds in the conclusion and flesh out his understanding of this conceptual framework a bit more. Given the relevance of this topic domestically, I think this is a great book for people interested in technology and who want to understand the international context of the debate. While short on technical detail, the book is rich in strategic policy thinking and was written in a clear, if sometimes dry, style.

[Chris Bauer · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Four Battlegrounds: Power in the Age of Artificial Intelligence" by Paul Scharre is a riveting read, especially for a work of non-fiction. The author has extensive credibility which is wisely established before the main assertions of the work and frames his perspective on the challenge of AI very well. The first few chapters of the book are spot on, what is AI, where did it come from, where is it going and how does one measure it - all fundamental to the subsequent chapters. I felt the author did a great job of distilling a very heady topic into easily grasped elements.

Much of the later work, however, is squarely focused on the potential threat in cyberwarfare from China, which is a primary perspective of the author. I found the remainder of the book to be exceedingly well-researched and notated from a fact perspective. But at times, I did feel as though the author was attempting to raise general awareness of what he perceives as our biggest power rival, especially in the world of AI and augmented warfare. But in a very measured, almost too polite fashion. No blaring klaxons or red warning lights - just an insistent tug on the sleeve and a discreet sideways glance to the East.

Overall, I found the book to be highly informative, well-written and based on well-researched content about the history of AI, where it is going in the future and some of the challenges we will have to face as a society in the near-term.

[Dennis Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Four Battlegrounds: Power in the Age of Artificial Intelligence by Paul Scharre is one of the best books I've read on the topic. His real world-oriented work attempts to contextualize advancements in machine learning and AI for the purposes of defense and national strategic policy, identifying four key areas of contention moving forward: compute, data, algorithms, and people. After establishing this framework in the first part of his book, he goes on to explore several other topics for the remaining four-fifths of the book, running the gamut of topics - including a couple well-timed chapters on disinformation and a heavy emphasis on competition with China. There's a bit of Chris Brose sprinkled throughout the book, if you're familiar with The Kill Chain. One potential area that is under supported is the idea that the regulatory space is too onerous for ai companies to innovate. I don't quite buy that, at least not with the examples Scharre provided. Seems like a bit of signaling for the folks over at Anduril.

Anyways, good book. Will reread.

[Galen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Naive and idealistic when it comes to domestic politics/ geopolitics

needs to sticks with the technology corner and stop listening to ppl like Victoria Nuland.

Anyone that is responsible for war crimes in Iraq and the current nightmare in Ukraine should not be within your intellectual sphere.

definitely displays a unwavering regurgitation of liberal propaganda/ corporate promises while whitewashing the history of american misdeeds.

[Niklas · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a very rich book, full of insightful facts and figures. For that, I am thankful to the author. However, what lacks in my opinion is a clear argument other than „AI is important for the world“. I struggled to identify a red line that goes through all the empirical detail that the author presents. That’s a real pity, given the author‘s incredible depth of knowledge about the topic.

[Paul Tenorio · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Four Battlegrounds: Power in the Age of Artificial Intelligence" is an exceptional read that explores the intricacies of technology allocation as a political action. The author's ability to demystify the workings of AI for the average reader is commendable, making complex concepts accessible without compromising on detail.

The book delves into four critical pillars: data, computing power, talent, and institutions, highlighting their pivotal roles in the AI landscape. As someone who has been studying this field since 2005, I found the data to be sound and the explanations of the TPU, GPU, and CPU distinctions particularly well done.

Brother's core thesis, rooted in the necessity for requisite orchestration driven by cognitive technology, resonates strongly throughout the book. His work, influenced by mentor Jack Ring, emphasizes the limitations of human speed in operating at machine paces, and how cognitive tech is instrumental in achieving the necessary coordination.

The author's insights extend beyond the technical realm into the political landscape, offering a reasoned assessment of liberal vs. autocratic politics within the context of evolving technology. The book consolidates the diverse elements of AI's impact, touching on themes such as access to computing power, talent retention, and the challenges posed by institutions in the AI era.

Notable references and a well-executed narrative contribute to the book's overall appeal. Brother's perspective on international relations, particularly the nuanced approach to China and technology cooperation, is thought-provoking. The horse race analogy aptly captures the competition between nations in the AI domain, underscoring the global significance of this emerging battleground.

"Four Battlegrounds" is more than just a book; it's a call to collective human action in the face of technological advancements, echoing the need to address major global issues like stopping SGE (presumably referring to some significant global event). The discussions on China's bold moves in the geopolitical arena and the potential consequences are both timely and illuminating.

In summary, "Four Battlegrounds: Power in the Age of Artificial Intelligence" provides deep insights into the multifaceted world of AI, offering a comprehensive examination of its implications on politics, technology, and humanity as a whole. It's a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the complex dynamics of our AI-driven future.

[Bryan Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very useful introduction to and update on AI in war, Four Battlegrounds is very accessible for people new to the topic. Scharre covers a lot of ground in the "intelligentization" or "cognitization" of militaries, from comparing Chinese and American AI military integration efforts to startups, procurement systems, and the possibilities of posthuman war.

As someone who's been researching this for a while, I didn't gain too much from the historical and present surveys. I was more interested in the book's futures passages, and those were useful. The tactic of "poisoning" enemy AI by corrupting shared datasets or creating adversarial input seem likely to become major strategies (ch 29). The idea of the US positioning its AI as safer and more reliable than those produced by Russia or China, due to more extensive testing, is intriguing and quite possible. (258) There's a good call for international agreements on military AI development, perhaps along the lines of strategic nuclear weapons treaties. (293)

I also appreciate Scharre's balanced view of AI. He is neither a booster nor a reactionary. He sees a lot of potential, but also serious weaknesses in the technology. Here's one cautionary line: "Militaries are competing to develop and field a technology that is unreliable and insecure." (249) Surprisingly, he argues that we're not in an AI arms race yet because no government is spending unusually high amounts on the technology; it's a bit counterintuitive, but worth thinking through. (257)

There are some points which could use refinement or expansion. Scharre accurately discusses the Trump and Biden administrations' anti-China policies, but leaves out the crucial policy shift under Obama. The claim that "democratic governments are largely sitting on the sidelines of" disinformation and deepfake struggles doesn't hold up against, for example, British and French governments increasing their surveillance and punitive measures against online "radicalization" or the many American moves against disinformation. (141) I was surprised at the avoidance of science fiction examples, especially when the book considers problems of AI taking over human decision making.

Overall, recommended.

[Colin Oldenburg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up Four Battlegrounds: Power in the Age of Artificial Intelligence because I believe there needs to be a greater sense of urgency around understanding AI—its use cases, its implications, and the power structures it is shaping. Paul Scharre outlines four key battlegrounds in the AI race: data, compute, talent, and institutions. I enjoyed how he not only dissected these areas but also offered insights and (at times, cautionary) advice on what different actors—governments, industries, and individuals—should consider moving forward. This made the book a strong starting point for anyone trying to grasp how AI intersects with global power struggles and where the world might be headed.

That said, this was a (3/5) read for me. The structure didn’t always work—the organization felt disjointed, and many paragraphs read like they should have been condensed into single, more powerful sentences. At times, the writing style detracted from the book’s otherwise compelling insights.

What I’m left thinking about most is the stark contrast in how democracies (like the U.S.) and authoritarian regimes (like China) approach AI and emerging technologies. As an average, run-of-the-mill American, I can’t help but wonder: Are we electing leaders who truly understand the stakes? AI isn’t just about innovation; it’s about power, governance, and the future of global influence. We need a new generation of leaders who grasp this reality.

[Edrian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is the first book I read about AI? Hopefully there's more to come.

- Really broadened my understanding of what AI is - it's not only LLM or image detection. It is a whole range of things (the second part delves into at least 10 broad categories of AI).
- The parts about how AI might go wrong is fascinating. Bugs, hackers, an issue with the training data. I never realized how AI is such a 'blackbox' and how the developers are not even sure how some decisions are made, but the analogy to medicine - that sometimes we also don't know why exactly a medicine is effective does not prevent us from using it - makes a lot of sense. But just like medicine there is a huge risk of non retractable mistakes.
- To my view the second half of the book focus a lot on military, which is something I completely ignored before. The terror of AI and automation might be the exponential amplification of violence. One of the biggest weakness of AI is that its performance is almost completely dependent on the training it receives, which means the environment need to be controlled. If the real world situation is even slightly different from the training, AI might make terrible mistakes.
- The discussion on startups and how they are constrained by bureaucracy is great. Didn't realize how big an industry 'startup' is (or a better term would be 'investment' 'research & development' or 'innovation'). Startups drive so much technology change and sometimes it is done by so few people. I might really try this out one day.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scharre analyses the possibilities, risks, and geopolitical dynamics that can come about with the further development of AI. While there is a risk of speculative science fiction with such topics, his book does not come across as such. Scharre knows what he is talking about, even though some of his proofs come from anecdotal talks with colleagues. I gained an interesting overview of what the bottlenecks are in the development process, as well as the dynamics that play into the process of AI R&D. Moreover, he pointed towards possible solutions and approaches in both the technical and political realm - which is often harder than it seems.

4 stars because there is a strong focus on the position of the U.S. (vs. Russia & China), excluding the role of other countries - making the analysis a bit simplistic. This is understandable, given the background of the author. At the same time, I felt that the juxtaposition between democracies ( read: the US) and autocracies (read: China) was sometimes a bit biased and too positive regarding the political system of the U.S. (e.g. when talking about regulation or seemingly putting the US system on a pedestal, neglecting the system flaws from the perspective of democratic ideals).

Overall though, would recommend the book to non-experts, as well as more technical and political audiences. Which is also a hard task to pull off!

[Richard Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a book about AI written from the point of view of US military and technology policy. I guess somebody has to think about this stuff, and Mr. Scharre has a generally reasonable point of view. I'd rather have him be the one implementing AI policy than any of the people currently in charge in Washington. But for me this is the least interesting part of looking at the impact that AI is going to have. The technology is advancing so rapidly and the implications for business, society, the economy and everyday life are so profound that the laggards in the government and military are going to be caught sucking their thumbs a million miles behind what's really happening. At least it appears from this book that military people have some idea about using AI responsibly and not just creating smart killbots that they will unleash on the world, though no doubt someone will get around to that one too before long.

Maybe I'm burying my head in the sand, but somehow it seems to me that seeing AI as part of a game of international positioning between great powers is the wrong way to think about the ongoing and upcoming AI revolution. If we can find ways to make our society survive and thrive then it won't be because of some decision made or not made in the Pentagon or the People's Liberation Army.

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

Scharre argues that there are 4 battlegrounds in the coming technology fight. They are data, computing power, talent, and institutions. You have to have big data to crunch, and he covers who has access and how that is collected and analyzed. You need access to advanced machines, and the struggle between government and big business… how does a newcomer start? Talent is the people that use, create and analyze the data. How and where are they trained? What are their motivations? And institutions is more about the difference between government, military, China and big business.

Why I started this book: Liked previous book by author and wanted to learn more about this subject.

Why I finished it: This book dragged for me… and I’m not sure if it was subject or my circumstances. There were a couple of good points in a slog of details.

[Lor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Favorite Excerpt:
The digital information ecosystem has rapidly become a contested space between corporations, bots, trolls, dictators, and average citizens. How AI tools are used to control information will have profound consequences for the future of truth and the global balance between democracy and authoritarianism. Dictators benefit in a world where nothing can be trusted, and truth is whatever the powerful say it is. If democracies want to sustain a free, open, transparent, and truthful information environment, governments will need to engage the engineers and companies building AI tools to ensure they are used responsibly(...) Democratic governments, tech companies, the media, and members of civil society must work together to ensure that the evolving information ecosystem is one that safeguards the truth. (p.138)

[Rodrigo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The topic is so complex that the framing efforts of the author have to be recognized. The 4 battlegrounds are Power, Competition, Repression, and Truth. Power is an obvious take on the leverage that companies and nations can get from data analysis and AI. The Competition increases the drama of the discussion, especially when approaching the relationship between tech companies and governments in the West versus in the East. China is getting ahead in the race as ethics standards diverge. Repression is a consequence of power and even in the West, the ethical standards are very questionable. In the end, Truth shall save us, but there's nothing new about that.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paul Scharre has convinced me that he truly is an expert on AI, and steeped in knowledge of defense as well. But this is one scary book.

Eager though I am to inform myself more about AI, I decided not to read further than the first hour or so of audiobook listening. Nightmares would be the likely consequence for me, personal nightmares that wouldn't help anyone. So what's the point?

Still, I've read enough to respect the author's expertise, his coherent style of writing, his educational intent, and the overall importance of this book...

FIVE STARS for a book whose readers must be made of tougher stuff than me.

[Maria Rõhu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amusing, yet well written overvew of using modern technologies in war. No chatgpt-will-save-us all rhetorics, but some real usecases (like getting through endless drone footage). One passage of US marines testing out AI that’s supposed to detect people:
“Two hid under a cardboard box. You could hear them giggling the whole time.” Like Bugs Bunny in a Looney Tunes cartoon, sneaking up on Elmer Fudd in a cardboard box. “One guy … field-stripped a fir tree and walked like a fir tree. You can see his smile, and that’s about all you see.” The AI system had been trained to detect humans walking, not humans somersaulting, hiding in a cardboard box, or disguised as a tree.”

[Jason Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thorough breakdown of the AI revolution of military affairs. A call to action for society, especially for those societies which seek to promote liberal world values, humanity, free choice, respect for human life and dignity, and a rules based international order shaped by those societies, to take keen interest with AI development. Interestingly the author proposes some against the grain strategies wrt to cooperation with rather than competing against authoritarian illiberal regimes such as the CCP.

[Trigby · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a very in-depth look at the military justification for usage of A.I. to support the power of the United States and it's values, as well as the risks of not staying competitive with China, who wants to overtake the U.S. in A.I. technology by 2030. The situation was viewed from a wide variety of angles, and brought up many concerning points, but without any fear mongering. This is a must read for anyone who has an interest in how Artificial Intelligence is likely to be levered in the next few decades and what the risks are to those who aren't willing to fight for a leadership position.

[Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

A testament to the axiomatic wisdom of quitting while you’re ahead, Scharre should have left the story of AI enabled warfare with his great piece, Army of None. In this de facto sequel, Scharre treads much of the same ground, but without much new to say. His conclusions are generally pretty banal, and much worse, he throws in some good, old fashioned Chinese war mongering to boot. If you enjoyed Army of None, as I did, do yourself a favor and stop reading Scharre’s works after that. In short, quit while you’re ahead!

[Chad Handley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, a dense book that packs a big punch. The discussion of Four battlegrounds takes a deep dive on not only the technological front with Artificial Intelligence, but also the practical application of autonomous systems, the innovative struggles from a business perspective, and the government policies that can help or hinder technological progress.

I read a portion of this book for a course I was taking; after the course was complete I chose to read the remainder. Worth the read but definitely not an easy light read.

[Kathy (McDowell) Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading this book I believe the U.S. is falling too far behind in the field of artificial intelligence. The United States currently has the advantage in semiconductor production, chips that are manufactured in Taiwan. When China invades Taiwan, then what? We're already only 90 seconds to midnight on the Doomsday Clock. AI is going to play a huge role in World War III. I fear leaders that may rely on deep learning to save the day.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, first and foremost, I had put this book on my TBR list because of a Fat Electrician YouTube video (Marine v AI). So I may have bitten off a bit more than I expected when I discovered how in-depth this went in the growing virtual battlefield. With the rise of ChatGPT and other open AI sources, we are going to see a big change in the future.

But the AIs are still not ready to fight with the USMC.