Washington is pushing the US military to employ artificial intelligence in warfare through armed robots that mimic humans, according to a Monday report by The Washington Post.
The newspaper pointed to an event from May, when Foundation, a company owned by businessman Sankaet Pathak, released footage of its sleek robot “Phantom” carrying a mortar shell.
The robot appeared in the video moving with extreme caution, with Pathak asserting that it foreshadows a future for autonomous weapons due to their ability to make rapid decisions on the battlefield.
The launch of Foundation in 2024, as the Washington Post explains, was a step that reflected a radical shift, especially in light of the widespread opposition to the idea of allowing autonomous devices to determine attack locations without prior human approval.
This opposition has persisted for years and has been accompanied by pledges from leading robotics companies not to weaponize their innovations.
The Pathac project, which began with purely commercial motives, now reflects a growing segment within Silicon Valley – including investors and national security experts – who believe that autonomous weapons represent a new and vital horizon for military technology.
National security experts believe that armed robots can enhance the skills of the military and improve target accuracy during combat.
Pressing new reality
The Washington Post explained that the development of artificial intelligence capabilities, coupled with the Trump administration’s efforts to deploy new technologies at the Pentagon, has transformed a previously theoretical debate into a pressing reality.
The US military boasted about its use of AI in escalating its strikes against Iran, in addition to employing advanced automated systems to defend against missile attacks.
The next step, according to the newspaper, will be the use of drones and robots with the freedom to choose and attack targets.
The Department of Defense, under Trump’s direction, is updating its policies regarding the deployment of lethal AI-powered weapons, while the Senate is debating a national security bill that encourages the use of autonomous military systems.
The move disregards the warnings of many critics, religious leaders, diplomats, human rights organizations, and robotics experts who fear that robots will lead to a chaotic new future in warfare.
