The massive proliferation of social media data represents a transformative moment in conflict studies. This data can provide unique insights into the spread and use of weaponry, but the scale and types of data are problematic for traditional open-source intelligence. This paper presents preliminary, transdisciplinary work using computer vision to identify specific weapon systems and the insignias of the armed groups using them. There is potential to not only track how weapons are distributed through networks of armed units but also to track which types of weapons are being used by the different types of state and non-state military actors in Ukraine. Such a system could ultimately be used to understand conflicts in real-time, including where humanitarian and medical aid is most needed. We believe that using AI to help automate such processes should be a high-priority goal for our community, with near-term real-world payoffs.

翻译：社交媒体数据的大规模爆发标志着冲突研究领域的变革性时刻。这类数据可为武器扩散与使用规律提供独特洞察，但其庞大体量与多元类型对传统开源情报分析构成挑战。本文提出了一项跨学科的前期研究成果：运用计算机视觉技术识别特定武器系统及使用这些武器的武装组织标识。该技术不仅有望追踪武器在武装单位网络中的分配路径，还能同步监测乌克兰境内国家与非国家军事行为体各类武器的使用情况。此类系统最终可服务于实时冲突态势分析，包括确定人道主义与医疗援助的最迫切需求区域。我们认为，将人工智能用于此类流程自动化应成为学界优先推进的目标，其短期实际效益将立竿见影。