21st Century Chinese Militarization of Artificial Intelligence

Dragon’s Algorithm: China’s Military Artificial Intelligence Strategy in the 21st Century
“21st Century Chinese Militarization of Artificial Intelligence” explores the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) strategic transformation from military informatization to military intelligentization, focusing on how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the Chinese military’s doctrine, capabilities, and ambitions for global power.
From Informatization to Intelligentization
The book traces the evolution of the Chinese military’s modernization through three overlapping phases: mechanization, informatization, and now intelligentization. Under Xi Jinping’s leadership, the PLA has moved beyond the informatization era—characterized by the integration of information technology into command, control, and precision strike capabilities—to embrace intelligentization, which centers on AI and advanced autonomous technologies. This transition is seen as essential for China to catch up with, and potentially surpass, the United States in military power.
Core of China’s AI Military Strategy
At the heart of China’s military AI strategy is the concept of “algorithmic warfare,” where AI is not just a tool for automation but a transformative force in decision-making, operational planning, and frontline combat. The PLA is investing heavily in unmanned intelligent combat systems, battlefield perception platforms, and AI-enabled decision support, aiming to achieve a leap in military effectiveness through the fusion of human and machine cognition. Chinese strategists envision a future where AI-driven systems enhance situational awareness, enable multi-domain operations, and fundamentally alter the nature of warfare—making it faster, more psychological, and less reliant on human limitations.
The DIME Mnemonic: Diplomatic, Information/Intelligence, Military, Economic Dimensions
To bring this complex subject to life, the book employs the DIME mnemonic:
Diplomatic :China’s AI military ambitions are closely tied to its broader foreign policy, leveraging AI advancements to project power and influence, and to shape international norms around emerging technologies.
Information/Intelligence: The PLA’s focus on information dominance is amplified by AI, with applications in intelligence analysis, cyber operations, and cognitive warfare. AI is central to China’s efforts to achieve information superiority and to support decision-making at all levels.
Military: The military dimension covers the rapid development of AI-enabled systems, including autonomous drones, robotic combat vehicles, and AI-powered command platforms. The PLA’s doctrine is being rewritten to integrate intelligentized warfare, emphasizing innovation-driven development and military-civil fusion to accelerate progress.
Economic: China’s national AI campaign is a whole-of-society effort, mobilizing public and private sectors, academia, and industry. The economic strategy underpins military modernization by ensuring a robust technological base and fostering military-civil fusion, which allows rapid transfer of commercial AI advances into military applications.
While China’s ambitions are vast, the book also examines the internal challenges the PLA faces, including over-centralization, trust in AI systems, and technological gaps with the United States. The implications for global security, arms races, and the future balance of power are profound, as the PLA’s pursuit of intelligentization could redefine the character of conflict in the 21st century.
“21st Century Chinese Militarization of Artificial Intelligence” provides a comprehensive analysis of how AI is becoming the backbone of China’s military transformation. Weaving together the diplomatic, informational, military, and economic threads, the book offers a nuanced understanding of the “Dragon’s Algorithm”—the strategic logic driving China’s quest for AI-enabled military dominance in the 21st century.