Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Mar 11: The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has confirmed that the United States military is using a range of artificial intelligence tools in the ongoing conflict with Iran, as concerns grow over rising civilian casualties.

CENTCOM chief Brad Cooper said on Wednesday that AI technologies are helping American forces rapidly analyse large volumes of battlefield data.

“Our war fighters are leveraging a variety of advanced AI tools. These systems help us sift through vast amounts of data in seconds so our leaders can cut through the noise and make smarter decisions faster than the enemy can react,” Cooper said in a video message.

He added that while AI assists in processing information, humans continue to make the final decisions regarding military strikes.

“Humans will always make final decisions on what to shoot and what not to shoot and when to shoot,” he said, noting that AI can reduce processes that once took hours or days to just seconds.

The confirmation comes as calls intensify for an independent investigation into a bombing at a school in southern Iran that reportedly killed more than 170 people, most of them children.

According to Iranian authorities, the ongoing US-Israeli military campaign, which began on February 28, has resulted in more than 1,250 deaths across the country. The conflict involves both the United States and Israel carrying out strikes against Iranian targets.

Human rights experts have raised concerns about the growing use of AI in warfare. Several reports previously indicated that Israel relied extensively on AI systems during its military operations in Gaza Strip, where the war since October 2023 has caused massive destruction and tens of thousands of deaths.

The Iranian Red Crescent Society said on Wednesday that the bombardment campaign has damaged nearly 20,000 civilian buildings and at least 77 healthcare facilities across Iran. Iranian officials also reported strikes hitting oil depots, street markets, sports venues, schools and a water desalination plant.

Meanwhile, the administration of Donald Trump has been pushing for broader access to advanced technological tools for military operations.

At the same time, Washington has been locked in a dispute with AI firm Anthropic, which had a contract with the Pentagon but insisted that its AI systems should not be used for fully autonomous weapons or mass surveillance.

The company filed a lawsuit against the US administration after it was labelled a “supply chain risk”, effectively restricting it from conducting business with government agencies.

Responding to the dispute, Pentagon spokeswoman Kingsley Wilson said the US military would not allow technology firms to dictate battlefield decisions.

“America’s warfighters supporting Operation Epic Fury and every mission worldwide will never be held hostage by unelected tech executives and Silicon Valley ideology,” Wilson said. “We will decide, we will dominate, and we will win.”