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.
More from CNAS
-
Technology & National Security
Dutch Export Controls Don’t Go Far Enough on ChinaControlling the machines that make chips matters more than controlling any specific chip....
By Michelle Nie
-
Technology & National Security
China’s AI Is Spreading Fast. Here’s How to Stop the Security RisksThe first problem is not about China, but about AI as a technology: It is incredibly difficult to audit the global supply chain for AI software....
By Ryan Fedasiuk
-
Technology & National Security
Anthropic, the Pentagon, and the Future of Autonomous WeaponsThe last big story right before the war in Iran started was the collapse in the relationship between the Pentagon and Anthropic, with the latter objecting to any potential use...
By Paul Scharre
-
Technology & National Security
Off TargetThe pace of progress in frontier artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities shows no sign of slowing. Frontier models offer transformative potential for national security—from ...
By Caleb Withers, Jay Kim & Ethan Chiu