Tehran has publicly said it plans to invest heavily in artificial intelligence (AI) to improve its military capabilities, but Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is currently trying to boost its decimated economy. With this in mind, he is turning his attention to Iran’s private sector. .
On Sunday, Raisi met with private companies and announced the Iranian government’s intention to invest in digital businesses.
Raisi claimed that the measure would not only help develop Iran’s AI capabilities, but also help it achieve its goal of growing the economy by 8%, pro-government media Tasnim news agency reported.
But experts remain skeptical that the measure will actually solve Iran’s economic woes, saying they are more concerned about the capabilities AI would give Iran when it comes to the battlefield. Ta.
Iranian unmanned aerial vehicle Shahed 136 is on display during a rally commemorating the 45th anniversary of the victory of the 1979 Iranian Islamic Revolution in Azadi Square in western Tehran, Iran, on February 11, 2024. (Morteza Nicobazul/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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In the early months of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which made headlines when the White House accused Iran of “gifting” drones to Russia, these deadly aerial weapons were used in Iran’s military operations in Yemen, Iraq, Syria and elsewhere. It continues to inflict damage in other areas inhabited by supported militia groups.
“Iran doesn’t have unlimited access to certain technologies like drone engines because of sanctions, and it’s not always easy to build everything locally,” said Drone Wars: Pioneer, Killing Machine. Seth Franzman, author of “Artificial Intelligence.” And the fight for the future,” a part-time researcher at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) told FOX News Digital from Jerusalem.
“But when it comes to AI, they have access to computers. That’s the kind of technology they can invest in because it’s something that doesn’t necessarily require them to import very complex rocket engines. They have a high-tech ecosystem. Franzman added, referring to Iran’s ability to leverage access AI technology.
Iran’s move to strengthen its military without relying on the import of physical products not only increases Iran’s security position in the international sector, but also poses an active security threat to the United States and the United States. It would further enable affordable support for foreign actors, armed militias, and designated terrorist organizations. Western allies.
Missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles are shown raising Israeli and American flags at people on the side of the road in Tehran, Iran, February 11, 2024. (Photo by HOSSEIN BERIS/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)
“The government is looking to expand public-private partnerships to create platforms that are more directly applicable or available to the regime,” Behnam Ben Taleburu, an Iran expert and FDD senior fellow, told Fox News Digital. Told.
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Ben Taleburu said that while the Iranian government is likely to expand its use of AI as a tool for digital repression, the biggest concern is “how Iran will continue to use AI to fight the war at a low cost.” Ta.
Iranian experts believe that Iran’s intentions to militarily integrate AI with cruise missiles and drones, combined with hacking campaigns and deepfakes to spread misinformation, are likely to be used by Iran against the international community. He explained that it provides insight into the “mosaic of capabilities” that he is trying to achieve.
“Just as we see Iran today as an asymmetrical power in the Middle East, if they layer on AI components, they are likely to continue punching above their weight.” Ben Taleblou warned.
But apart from the military threat posed by Iran’s AI investments, there are also geopolitical implications, Franzman explained.
Protesters hold up cell phones while shining flashlights during a protest in Warsaw, Poland, October 17, 2022. Hundreds of people gathered in front of Iran’s embassy to protest the provision of Shahid loitering drones to Russia. (Photo credit: STR/NurPhoto, Getty Images)
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“Invest to improve technological capabilities” [its] “The market…seems like a natural place for Iran to want to invest, because it helps Iran avoid sanctions. It also puts the Iranian economy behind the Chinese economy, Russia, and the Iranian economy. “It could also be useful in connecting to “Iran is basically working to strengthen relations.”
Both experts warned that while the Iranian government is already a top security concern for the United States in the Middle East region, the threat it poses to Western countries could only be magnified through the use of AI.
“Given the very obvious military implications that are imminent, it behooves us to take Iran’s statements regarding its interest in AI seriously,” Ben Taleblou warned.
