According to a current study, North Korea has been working on artificial intelligence projects that could threaten other countries. These projects include military technology and programs designed to protect nuclear reactors.
According to a report published in 38 North, a journal dedicated to policy and technical study of North Korean matters, the authoritative government has worked with Chinese tech researchers and employed AI to create wargame simulations. According to the research, foreign collaboration and AI developments could result in information leaks and boycott violations. North Korea is making a calculated investment to support its digital economy with its current AI development efforts.
In the January 23 report, Hyuk Kim of the James Martin Centre for Nonproliferation Studies in California reported, citing publicly available data from academic journals and state media, that the commitment is highlighted by constitutional modifications boosting the digitization and informatization of its socialist economy, associated with institutional reforms to address competing self-interest across state offices.
The East Asian nation has developed artificial intelligence (AI) across industries since the 1990s. Still, the report states that it accelerated advancements in 2013 after establishing the Artificial Intelligence Research Institute to support informatization, the integration of technologies into social systems, and the digitalization of the nation. The country updated its constitution in April 2019 to include “informatization” in its primary economic industries.
According to the report, North Korea used machine learning and artificial intelligence more recently to develop a model for assessing appropriate mask wear during the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, Kim stated that the latest advancements in AI in the country are alarming. He declared that North Korea’s pursuit of a machine learning-based wargaming simulation program indicates intentions to understand operational environments against potential adversaries better. Moreover, the sanctions regime concerns North Korea’s continuous cooperation with Western academics.
According to Kim, North Korean scientists have also published research on AI applications to ensure the safety of nuclear reactors. The study aimed to increase reactor efficiency and reduce the possibility of nuclear accidents.
