Chinese coastguard has 0.3% chance of using weapons in disputed waters, war game suggests

Chinese coastguard researchers have developed an AI framework to assess vessel intentions in disputed waters, after a computer war game found that under the existing rule-based command system, the simulated coastguard would use lethal weapons only 0.3% of the time. The team aims to reduce that risk to zero by using AI to continuously calculate the probability of multiple possible intentions, from routine fishing to coordinated harassment, and adjust responses accordingly.

Advertisement Chinese coastguard has 0.3% chance of using weapons in disputed waters, war game suggests Researchers create AI framework to read unknown vessels’ intentions by identifying them as ‘hostile’ or ‘harmless’ to assess risks at sea 3-MIN READ3-MIN 1 Listen Chao Kong /author/chao-kong in Beijing A Chinese coastguard https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3364440/chinese-coastguard-proposes-turning-south-china-sea-isles-robotic-fortress?module=inline&pgtype=article ship is shielding a cluster of fishing boats when several small, fast vessels begin circling – sometimes darting closer, sometimes backing off. Are they just curious fishermen? Or are they probing for a weak spot, trying to lure the patrol ship into a trap?In the real world, a split-second decision could escalate a tense maritime stand-off https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3358758/chinese-vessels-shadow-us-philippine-naval-drills-south-china-sea-near-disputed-shoal?module=inline&pgtype=article into something far more dangerous. This is exactly the kind of nerve‑wracking scenario Chinese coastguard researchers have been running inside a computer war game https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3362965/how-taiwan-preparing-pla-sea-blockade-its-biggest-war-games?module=inline&pgtype=article .Their findings, published this month, revealed a surprising number: under the existing rule‑based command system, the simulated Chinese coastguard would resort to lethal weapons only 0.3 per cent of the time. It is a remarkably low risk – but for Beijing, even that chance is too high when the encounters involve sensitive, disputed waters. To push the risk down to zero, the team developed an artificial intelligence https://www.scmp.com/topics/artificial-intelligence?module=inline&pgtype=article AI framework that can read a vessel’s intentions like a seasoned mariner reads the sea.The AI does not simply stamp a target as “hostile” or “harmless”; it continuously calculates the odds of multiple possible intentions – from routine fishing to coordinated harassment – and adjusts its response accordingly. Advertisement Select Voice Select Speed 1.00x