In the future, combat drones and other weapon systems with artificial intelligence will be used on the battlefield.
An “NZZ Format” about modern war and the controversial consequences.
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That’s what the documentary is about
The war in Ukraine shows it: combat drones are becoming more and more intelligent, more autonomous and are being used more and more frequently.
The “Switchblade” kamikaze drone made available to the Ukrainian military by the United States has become well-known. Once she finds a target, she lunges into it, destroying it on impact.
This “loitering ammunition” is already on the production list of many international arms manufacturers. In the meantime, research is also being carried out on entire swarms of drones, which are supposed to act like flying minefields. Sheer numbers alone could overwhelm the enemy and their anti-aircraft systems.
How much autonomy do these systems already have? One thing is certain: the development will be accelerated by artificial intelligence. It will change wars. From superpowers to small states rely on autonomous networked weapon systems. If one side has autonomous weapons, then the other side has to follow suit, which is a great danger, warns international drone expert Ulrike Franke. The race to get there has begun.
This raises new ethical and legal questions: How autonomous can weapons be? Will algorithms soon decide about life and death and no longer humans? Can development still be regulated at all? Experts are skeptical.
An «NZZ Format» about modern war.
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