Future Information Wars: The Battle for Human Consciousness in the Digital Age
Experts warn that in the 21st century, the crisis of information security will escalate to a new level, where the primary battleground will be human consciousness.
Rapid technological advancements mean future wars will not be limited to cyberattacks or physical combat.
Instead, analysts predict that virtual worlds will become the new arena, where malicious actors will use artificial intelligence and digital technologies to manipulate, psychologically destabilize, and spread misinformation.
According to Oleksii Kostenko, head of the Immersive Technologies and Law laboratory at the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine, the digital warfare will target not only infrastructure but aim to erode societal trust and identity through synthetic content, personalized messages, and psychological manipulations.
He emphasizes that future conflicts might manifest as precise attacks on mental and emotional states, making them particularly dangerous.
At the same time, the expert stresses the urgent need for new international regulations and standards to govern the use of AI in information warfare, in order to prevent widespread manipulation and protect humanity from emerging digital threats.