July 21, 2017

The Future of Military Robotics Looks Like a Nature Documentary

BBC has followed up 2006’s Planet Earth, perhaps the greatest nature documentary of all time, with an even greater sequel. This past week, Planet Earth II received 10 Emmy Award nominations. If you haven’t seen it, join the tens of millions of enraptured viewers and watch the story of a marine iguana’s mad dash through a den of snakes. I’m sure you’ll be hooked. In capturing the swimming sloth’s endearingly persistent search for love and the bird of paradise’s bizarre and beautiful courtship dance, BBC has composed a nearly perfect ode to the wonder and beauty of life on earth. Most viewers of Planet Earth II will come away with a sense of nature’s majesty and awe.

I’m a little different.

I, too, felt that majesty and awe, but I also happen to have just completed a study titled “Artificial Intelligence and National Security” on behalf of the U.S. Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA). IARPA is the main sponsor of the U.S. government intelligence community’s advanced research and development efforts. Like its military counterpart, DARPA, folks at IARPA are tasked with anticipating how advancements in science and technology will transform the future of espionage and warfare.

Read the full article on War on the Rocks.

  • Podcast
    • March 28, 2025
    Siliconsciousness: The AI Competition: Public Policy Strategies: Part 1

    This episode comprises the first part of our special event, “The AI Competition: Public Policy Strategies”. The event, co-hosted by MIT Technology Review, brings together some...

    By Dr. ED McGrady

    • Video
    • March 25, 2025
    How Drones in Ukraine Are Reshaping War

    Samuel Bendett, a senior adjunct fellow at the Center for a New American Security, joins The Cipher Brief to discuss the current situation of drones being used in Ukraine.Watc...

    By Samuel Bendett

  • Commentary
    • The Interpreter
    • March 25, 2025
    Awful but Lawful: China’s Australia Flotilla

    As such, this was not a demonstration of Chinese freedom of navigation. It was a show of force....

    By Tom Shugart

  • Reports
    • March 20, 2025
    Countering the Digital Silk Road: Indonesia

    This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Digital Silk Road (DSR), China’s ambitious initiative to shape critical digital infrastructure around the world to advance its geop...

    By Vivek Chilukuri & Ruby Scanlon

View All Reports View All Articles & Multimedia