AI Nuclear Simulation Game: 'Shall We Play a Game?'

Kenneth Payne, a researcher at King's College London, developed an AI-powered simulation of nuclear escalation based on the Cold War game 'Global Thermonuclear War' from the film WarGames. The simulation uses a large language model to role-play decision-makers during a crisis, with potential for miscommunication and accidental escalation. Payne demonstrates how AI could misinterpret signals or take overly aggressive stances due to adversarial prompting. The exercise highlights the dangers of integrating AI into command and control systems without robust safeguards. The code and scenario descriptions are available on his blog, intended as a thought experiment for strategic stability.