December 11, 2018

Autonomous Weapons and the Future of War

What happens when a Predator drone has as much autonomy as a Google car? Or when a weapon that can hunt its own targets is hacked? Although it sounds like science fiction, the technology already exists to create weapons that can attack targets without human input.

One person who has taken a deep look into autonomous weapons is Paul Scharre, Director of the Technology and National Security Program at CNAS and former Army Ranger. In this episode, Scharre talks with host Ilan Goldenberg about how far weapons have evolved and how the world reconcile with the moral implications of these advancements. Scharre is also author of the book Army of None: Autonomous Weapons and the Future of War.

Catch the rest of the "Stories from the Backchannel" series here.

  • Commentary
    • Sharper
    • November 20, 2024
    Sharper: Trump 2.0

    Donald Trump's return to the White House is widely expected to reshape America's global priorities. With personnel choices and policy agendas that mark a significant break fro...

    By Charles Horn & Gwendolyn Nowaczyk

  • Podcast
    • November 18, 2024
    Team America

    Kate Kuzminski, Deputy Director of Studies, and the Director of the Military, Veterans, and Society (MVS) Program at CNAS, joins to discuss President-elect Donald Trump nomina...

    By Katherine L. Kuzminski

  • Commentary
    • November 14, 2024
    Response to Request For Comment: “Bolstering Data Center Growth, Resilience, and Security”

    CNAS experts emphasize the importance of data centers for artificial intelligence...

    By Janet Egan, Geoffrey Gertz, Caleb Withers & Grace Park

    • Podcast
    • November 12, 2024
    Will Technology Define the Future of Geopolitics?

    Rachel Ziemba, Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American Security, joins Steve Paikin to discuss the era of growing geopolitical tensions paralleled by deepening ...

    By Rachel Ziemba

View All Reports View All Articles & Multimedia