From mushrooms to artificial intelligence: technology’s double-edged sword in enhancing soldiers

Abstract

This article entails a study of the methods for developing humans’ capabilities to increase success rates during military conflicts. Hence, this scientific work encompasses a retrospective of the methods from antiquity by Sumerian, Viking, Greek, and Roman fighters, as well as a contemporary and prospective view of the methods of augmenting soldiers into “supersoldiers”. Whether we refer to the first stage and initial attempts at developing soldier capabilities through mushrooms, alcohol, amphetamines, or to the revolutionary phase of this field through the involvement of technology, all these methods represent a „double-edged sword”. This is because it involves, besides benefits, a series of ethical and legal concerns. Nevertheless, the article pledges the solution of augmenting soldiers and reinforcing troops, while simultaneously upholding ethical and legal norms.

Keywords

• human capabilities;
• artificial intelligence;.
• supersoldiers;
• nanobots;
• ethical and legal concerns;
• approaches