PLATFORM WARS’ Marijn Hoijtink has co-authored a new peer-reviewed article together with Linde Arentze and Lauren Gould from the Realities of Algorithmic Warfare program. In 'Tracing algorithmic harm: from innovation to deployment and impact on civilians', they examine how AI is already reshaping contemporary conflict environments, including Ukraine and Gaza.
The article shifts attention away from technical innovation alone to the lived realities of those affected by algorithmic warfare. It introduces the concepts of “beforemaths” and “aftermaths” to capture how harm emerges both before and after AI systems are deployed. This includes not only physical destruction, but also psychological harm, constant surveillance, and the risk that everyday civilian behavior becomes interpreted as a threat.
The article ultimately calls for a deeper understanding of how AI systems produce new, compounded forms of harm, and for greater scrutiny of responsibility and accountability across the full “algorithmic kill chain."
The full article can be accessed here.
