KYIV, Ukraine (AP) \u2014 Rapid military adoption of artificial intelligence is becoming essential to Ukraine’s survival, even as full integration across the battlefield may still be several years away, according to a senior AI official.<\/p>\n
Danylo Tsvok said AI is already helping Ukraine<\/a> hold territory, while reducing risks to its soldiers as it faces a larger, better-resourced adversary.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to be faster than the enemy in decision-making,\u201d he told The Associated Press, adding that AI is \u201cnot only a competitive advantage. It\u2019s about our survival.\u201d<\/p>\n Tsvok, 35, leads the Defense Artificial Intelligence Center, which was established last month by the Defense Ministry. He previously served in the government\u2019s top civilian AI role.<\/p>\n Ukraine and Russia<\/a> are locked in an intensifying race to deploy increasingly automated systems \u2014 from aerial drones to ground and maritime platforms. At the center of that race is the ability to maintain operations under heavy electronic warfare.<\/p>\n Many newer systems are designed to shift toward autonomous functionality, maintaining target focus even under hostile jamming.<\/p>\n Ukraine\u2019s rapidly expanding domestic arms sector<\/a> now includes more than 2,000 manufacturers and military technology firms. Developers are testing tools that enable coordinated drone swarms, aiming to boost efficiency while easing the burden on human operators.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to understand that the future belongs to autonomous systems,\u201d Tsvok said. \u201cAI makes it possible to automate parts of the kill chain.\u201d<\/p>\n In its more mature form, he said, AI could underpin a networked battlefield in which smart weapons operate in coordination under a unified assessment platform.<\/p>\n \u201cThat could happen within three to five years,\u201d he said. \u201cWithin that time frame, front lines could be secured by tightly integrated hardware and software systems.\u201d<\/p>\n In the nearer term, he pointed to wider deployment of autonomous interceptors, expanded use of ground-based robotic systems, and an escalation in electronic warfare capabilities.<\/p>\n Some elements are already in place. Unmanned ground platforms are increasingly used in logistics, evacuation and combat roles.<\/p>\n