AI-Generated False Intelligence Nearly Triggered US Military Operation Against Chinese Ship
WASHINGTON:The US military reportedly came close to launching an operation against a Chinese vessel after an intelligence report generated with the help of an artificial intelligence chatbot falsely claimed that the ship was carrying components linked to a nuclear weapons programme.
According to a CNN report, the incident occurred this spring during the war with Iran. The intelligence report circulated within the US military and raised alarm because it alleged that the Chinese vessel was transporting nuclear-related material in the Middle East.
The US military reportedly began preparing to intercept the vessel. Sources cited by CNN said armed personnel were preparing to board the ship, while military aircraft were already airborne.
However, shortly before the planned operation, officials examined the intelligence more closely and discovered that the report had been produced with the assistance of an AI chatbot. The chatbot had incorrectly identified the material being carried by the Chinese vessel.
The analyst, reportedly working with US Special Operations Command, had queried the chatbot about intelligence concerning the ship’s cargo manifest. The AI system combined open-source information with classified signals intelligence and reached an incorrect conclusion.
The analyst subsequently used AI again to turn the findings into a formal intelligence report, which was then circulated through military channels. It remained unclear whether the chatbot was a commercially available system or a US government-developed tool.
One source described the intelligence as “entirely false”, while another said the episode had “almost started a war”, highlighting the potential consequences of a US military operation against a Chinese vessel.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about the use of AI in military intelligence and operational decision-making, particularly when inaccurate or fabricated information is incorporated into official-looking reports.
The episode comes as the US military continues to expand its use of artificial intelligence for analysing intelligence, supporting battlefield decisions and other military functions. Experts have warned that AI-generated errors can have particularly serious consequences when used in decisions involving the potential use of force.
