Washington DC -
Remember the frightening hive-mind drone “swarms” in “Star Trek Beyond” (2016)? Well, AI-driven, fully autonomous drones will be utilized “pretty dramatically in coming years,” according to Jack Shanahan of the Center for New American Security here.
Shanahan joined other experts on AI and autonomous weaponry at a Council on Foreign Relations panel this morning focused on the use of advanced technologies in the current Iran War. Amy McAuliffe of the University of Notre Dame said that, with Russia’s help, “Iran is building this (fully autonomous) swarming capability right now.” Oh joy!
The Iran War, a reckless, heinously expensive, and utterly stupid war of choice, has introduced many new dimensions to AI-enabled drone warfare. Steven Feldstein of the Carnegie Endowment, pointed out the sheer scale of drone activity in the Iran War, noting some 13,000 U.S. strikes have utilized AI for targeting purposes.
Shanahan said that Iran ceded conventional warfare to the U.S. and Israel, knowing it had zero chance of winning any standard, tactical encounter. It has utilized drones, however, to successfully wage asymmetrical warfare in attacking commercial interests in the region. A case in point was Tehran’s decision to drone-attack three Amazon data centers in the UAE and Bahrain. While the drones used in these cases do not appear to have been AI-enabled, their targeting was helped in large measure through Russian expertise.
The Iran-Russia drone relationship is a cozy one. Iran helped Russia build its drone capabilities in the latter’s unending war in Ukraine. Russia learned a great deal about these technologies in the process and has now been providing Iran with AI-enabled drones and know-how. Yes indeed; the stakes could not be higher nor the weaponry more diabolical. As is too often the case, humankind’s technological prowess will outstrip its ability to manage it well. Of course, the bros will make billions in the process.
