China launched the world's first AI-operated aircraft carrier, an unmanned vessel capable of launching dozens of drones

The world's first crewless drone carrier has been launched by China.

The ship has been described as a maritime research tool by Beijing, but some experts think it could be used for military purposes.

The ship is around 300 feet long, 45 feet wide, and 20 feet deep and can carry dozens of air, sea, and submersible drones with different observation instruments.

The vessel is described as "epoch making" and the "world's first intelligent Unmanned System mother ship".

—Venkatesh Ragupathi (@venkatesh_Ragu) May 28, 2022

Matthew Funaiole is a senior fellow of the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"From a purely science standpoint, which is the angle China is promoting, we could see Chinese drones contributing to disaster Mitigation, Environmental Monitoring, etc."

China's military could use the drones to gather intel in the South China Sea, where several countries have made competing territorial claims.

China has been making increasingly assertive claims of sovereignty over the sea in the last few years.

"When dealing with China, we rarely have perfect insight into their intentions, but as we have seen with its activities in the South China Sea, scientific ventures can be a precursors or otherwise support military objectives."

Information collection systems are used for dual use. Data collected by China from its own systems could be used to help the PLA.

According to the South China Morning Post, the ship will be delivered by the end of 2022.

Unmanned platforms could be the "future of warfare"

According to the South China Morning Post, the vessel is using the world's first artificial intelligence system.

The ship can travel at a maximum speed of 18 knots and can be controlled remotely.

The director of the laboratory told the Science and Technology Daily that the ship is a new type of vessel that will change ocean observation.

China wants to become a "maritime great power".

Although this vessel's capabilities and uses remain to be seen, militaries around the world are increasingly focused on developing drones and Unmanned Vehicles.

Funaiole said that China has invested a lot of money into various platforms to strengthen its navy.

He said that this will be part of the future.