AI and the New Face of War: How Artificial Intelligence Is Rewriting Every Phase of Conflict

Modern warfare has evolved into a complex domain known as Hybrid Warfare, blending conventional combat with cyber strategies, psychological manipulation, and economic coercion. Today’s conflicts span not just the battlefield but also pre-conflict and post-conflict stages—phases increasingly shaped by Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI doesn’t just support military operations—it transforms how wars begin, unfold, and conclude.

Here's how AI influences warfare: 

Phase 1: Pre-conflict - setting the stage

Warfare now begins long before combat. AI enables nations to execute covert operations aimed at destabilization, integrating data from cyber espionage, satellite imagery, and human intelligence to create detailed adversary profiles.

Disinformation: AI tools like deepfakes and sentiment analysis drive psychological operations. Russia’s pre-invasion use of AI-enhanced cyberattacks on Ukraine is a striking example—crippling infrastructure before troops even moved.

Economic Manipulation: AI identifies vulnerabilities in global markets and institutions, offering tools for financial coercion. Although direct attribution is rare, documented disinformation campaigns using AI show how trust in economies and governments can be eroded.
AI Bots & Chatbots: Used to spread false narratives, exacerbate divisions, and influence elections—all aimed at weakening internal stability in target nations.

This pre-conflict integration of AI provides strategic advantage without direct confrontation, setting favorable conditions for future conflict.

Phase 2: Active conflict - AI as a force multiplier

In open warfare, AI becomes a battlefield actor, enhancing agility, speed, and precision across all military levels:

Tactical Level: AI-powered drones and robots carry out missions with minimal oversight, rapidly adapting to battlefield changes. In Ukraine, autonomous drones identify targets and adjust fire in real time.

Operational Level: AI coordinates vast data from UAVs, satellites, and soldier sensors. Israel’s Iron Dome uses AI to instantly decide which threats to intercept, optimizing resource use and response time.

Strategic Level: AI-driven cyber capabilities allow nations to infiltrate networks, disable infrastructure, and manipulate digital environments—paralyzing systems without physical attack. North Korea is believed to use AI tools for real-time infiltration and disruption.

Across all levels, AI compresses decision cycles from hours to seconds, enabling asymmetric actors to challenge superior forces and shifting the paradigm of modern warfare.

Phase 3: Post-conflict - shaping the peace

AI continues to influence outcomes after combat ends—guiding recovery, security, and narrative control:

Reconstruction: AI assesses damage, predicts humanitarian needs, and optimizes resource deployment. In Iraq, AI was used to map destruction and prioritize rebuilding after ISIS.
Security: AI surveillance monitors borders and detects threats in real time. Along Israel’s borders, AI identifies abnormal movements or signals to preempt renewed violence.
Narrative Control: Beyond physical recovery, nations use AI to shape global perception. China leverages AI-powered media to craft favorable post-conflict narratives. Hamas has used deepfakes and disinformation to garner global sympathy and reinforce its influence.

Post-conflict AI doesn't just rebuild; it rewrites the story. The nation that controls AI infrastructure in this phase shapes the future geopolitical landscape.

Conclusion

AI is redefining warfare as a continuous strategic cycle—from pre-conflict disruption, through active conflict coordination, to post-conflict influence. The ability to predict, manipulate, and control now often outweighs raw firepower. The true power lies with those who master AI across all phases—shaping not only the outcome of battles, but the conditions before and the stories after.

Avi Schechter is the CEO of C.Mer Group