A false intelligence report created with the help of an AI chatbot reportedly brought the US military close to intercepting and boarding a Chinese ship in the Middle East during the war with Iran, according to CNN.
The report circulated among US military personnel earlier this year and claimed that the Chinese vessel was transporting components connected to a nuclear weapons programme. The information prompted preparations for a possible operation against the ship.
According to sources cited by CNN, armed US personnel were preparing to board the vessel, while military aircraft were already in the air. The operation was only stopped after officials took a closer look at the intelligence and discovered a major error.
The report had been prepared with assistance from an AI system used by an analyst working with a special operations command. The analyst reportedly used a chatbot to examine information from the ship’s cargo manifest. The system combined publicly available information with classified signals intelligence but incorrectly identified the material being transported.
The analyst then reportedly used AI again to help turn the findings into a formal intelligence report. That report was circulated within the military before experienced analysts and subject matter experts reviewed the underlying information and discovered that the cargo identification was wrong.
The incident has raised concerns about the use of artificial intelligence in military and intelligence operations, particularly when AI-generated conclusions could influence decisions involving military action.
US defence agencies have increasingly explored AI for processing intelligence, supporting operations and handling large amounts of information. However, the reported incident highlights the importance of human verification before AI-assisted information is used in sensitive situations.
The identity of the chatbot involved has not been disclosed. CNN also reported that the Pentagon and US Special Operations Command Pacific did not respond to requests for comment.
The episode demonstrates how an inaccurate AI-assisted assessment can move through an organisation quickly and potentially create serious consequences when it is not independently verified.
