"Pentagon's AI Push Forces Tough Choices on Autonomous Weapons"
Originally Published 2 years ago — by ABC News
The Pentagon is pushing forward with its Replicator initiative, aiming to deploy thousands of AI-enabled autonomous vehicles by 2026 to keep up with China's advancements. While the funding and details of Replicator remain uncertain, the initiative highlights the challenges of adopting AI technology in the military, including the deployment of fully autonomous lethal weapons. Experts predict that within the next few years, the US will possess fully autonomous lethal weapons, although officials insist that humans will always be in control. The use of AI in the military ranges from surveillance drones and fitness tracking to space monitoring and predictive maintenance. However, concerns remain about the maturity and trustworthiness of AI technology, as well as the potential for misuse by other countries that have not signed the US-initiated pledge for responsible military AI use.