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"This innovation constitutes our coming danger," warns Serhiy Beskrestnov, that recently acquired a newly intercepted enemy drone.

It was no ordinary drone either, it was revealed. Assisted by AI, the unmanned aerial vehicle is able to locate and strike objectives on its own.

The consultant has inspected numerous unmanned systems in his role as the nation's defence forces consultant.

In contrast to previous versions, the drone did not transmit or accept communications, so be impossible to be jammed.

Russian and Ukrainian forces are experimenting with AI in the conflict, and in some areas they are already deploying it, for target identification, gathering intelligence and de-mining.

And for the Ukrainian army, AI is now essential.

"Our armed forces receives more than 50,000 footage feeds [from the front line] every month which are analysed by artificial intelligence," states Ukraine's deputy defence minister.

"It helps us rapidly process huge volumes of information, pinpoint objectives and mark them on a map."

AI-Empowered Technology as a Critical Asset

AI-empowered technology is seen as a instrument that can enhance strategic planning, optimize assets and ultimately protect personnel.

However regarding unmanned weapons systems, it is also revolutionizing the battlefield.

Ukrainian soldiers currently employ AI-based software so that drones fix on a objective and then fly autonomously for the final segment till the operation concludes.

Signal disruption is impossible and shooting down such small flying object proves difficult.

In the future these systems are expected to become completely independent weapons that are able to find and eliminate targets by themselves.

All a soldier will need to do is tap a button on a mobile application, explains Yaroslav Azhnyuk, head of a local tech company.

It handles everything else, he says, finding the target, releasing explosives, evaluating the damage and then coming back to base.

"It doesn't demand flight experience from the user," he adds.

Interceptor Drones and Future Developments

Defensive drones with that kind of autonomous capability might significantly enhance defensive systems targeting Russian long-range attack drones, like the notorious certain models.

"An AI-driven self-operating unit is better than a human in numerous aspects," says the executive. "It can be more perceptive. It can see the target faster than a person. It is quicker."

The official indicates such a technology is not yet available, but he mentions the country is close to finishing its creation. "We have partially integrated it in some devices," says the representative.

There could even be thousands of these technologies in place by the end of 2026, predicts Azhnyuk.

Cautions and Risks of Full Autonomy

However Local developers are wary of completely relying on defence systems that depend solely on AI, without any human involvement. The risk is that AI may fail to differentiate a friendly soldier from a hostile combatant, since both could be wearing the same uniform, notes an engineer, who asked to remain anonymous.

The firm makes remotely controlled machine guns, that use AI to automatically detect individuals and track them. Due to concerns over accidental attacks, he states they avoid including an automatic shooting feature.

"It can be activated, but we must get more experience and additional input from the ground forces in order to determine when it is safe to employ this capability."

Moral Concerns and Global Regulations

There are also concerns that AI-driven technologies will violate the rules of war. How can they avoid injuring non-combatants, or tell apart soldiers who wish to yield?

According to the official, the final decision in such circumstances must be made by a person, although AI could make it "easier to decide". But there are no guarantees that states or militant factions will follow international humanitarian norms.

Therefore counteracting such technologies is increasingly important.

How can one stop a "swarm of drones" when electronic warfare or employing aircraft, tanks or rockets is rendered ineffective?

The nation's highly successful "Spider Web" mission, when 100 drones targeted Russian air bases last June, was probably supported by artificial intelligence.

Many in Ukraine worry that Moscow will copy that tactic, not just on the battlefront but further afield too.

Ukraine's leader cautioned the UN recently that AI was contributing to "the worst arms race in history."

He called for international regulations for the use of AI in weapons, and stated the issue was "equally pressing as stopping the spread of nuclear weapons."