I think competent AI weapons will dramatically reduce barriers to projecting and holding power by smaller ruling cohorts, less dependence on training massive ar

I think competent AI weapons will dramatically reduce barriers to projecting and holding power by smaller ruling cohorts, less dependence on training massive armed forces and retaining their loyalty. Both extremely difficult and expensive institution problems versus importing a bunch of DRM murder bots a medium sized country can't manufacture, or just receiving some in form of aid from a larger power in exchange for client status. Don't piss off benefactors or DRM transfers to more compliant political faction. >too much investment in immature tech Or research into paradigms shifting tech negates moat of old advantages. Russians good at antiair because US would not want to invent tech that would erode US air supremacy. Kind of how UK lost naval gap due to dreadnaught reset. I can imagine AI air planes undermining US air / naval superiority balance. Lots of obsolete hardware and training if a fleet of drones become smart enough to penetrate a carrier group. Perhaps it may even be sensible not to pursue / start arms race if it means undermining decades of expensive acquisitions and expertise. Or at least have enough security to ensure adversaries don't acquire kryptonite of your own making.