Autonomous intelligent agents in cyber offence

Applications of artificial intelligence in cyber warfare have been mainly postulated and studied in the context of defensive operations. This paper provides an introductory overview of the use of autonomous agents in offensive cyber warfare, drawing on available open literature. The study supplies an introduction to the taxonomy and science underlying intelligent agents and their strengths and weaknesses: the technological elements that autonomous agents should include are explained, as well as the economics involved. The paper also aims to explore possible legal implications of the use of autonomous agents and shows how they could fit into the legal context of warfare. The conclusion of the study is that the use of AI technologies will be an important part of cyber offensive operations, from both the technological and the economical aspects; however, the legal and doctrinal landscape is still uncertain and proper frameworks are still to be developed.